Acute Liver Failure
How is Acute Liver Failure Treated?
Acute liver failure from certain causes demands immediate and specific treatment. It is also critical to identify those patients who will be candidates for liver transplantation.
Acute liver failure is treated in the intensive care unit of a hospital. Treatment for ALF can include the following:
- Medications to reverse poisoning such as from an overdose of acetaminophen or mushrooms.
- Medications to relieve fluid buildup in the brain which causes pressure on the brain.
- Medications to clear infections after blood and urine tests show positive results of infection.
- Medications to prevent severe bleeding will be administered as bleeding ulcers in the gastrointestinal tract are often common.
- In the case where liver failure can’t be reversed, a liver transplant is the only treatment. The failed liver is removed and replaced with a new, healthy liver from a donor.
References
Mayo Clinic “Acute Liver Failure” http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/liver-failure/DS00961. Retrieved May 20, 2011
Medscape “Diagnosis and Management of Acute Liver Failure” http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/720697_3. Retrieved May 20, 2011
Palmer, M.D., Melissa. Dr. Melissa Palmer’s Guide to Hepatitis & Liver Disease. New York: Avery Trade, 2004.
U.S. National Library of Medicine NIH National Institutes of Health “Acute liver failure caused by 'fat burners' and dietary supplements: a case report and literature review” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21499580. Retrieved May 20, 2011
U.S. National Library of Medicine NIH National Institutes of Health “Influence of high body mass index on outcome in acute liver failure” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16996806. Retrieved May 20, 2011
Worman, MD Howard J. The Liver Disorders and Hepatitis Sourcebook. McGraw-Hill, 2006