Acute liver failure
Acute Liver Failure (ALF) is a critical, life-threatening condition characterized by a rapid (from a few days to a few weeks) deterioration of liver function in patients who did not previously have chronic diseases of this organ. The pathology is accompanied by massive death of hepatocytes (liver cells), which leads to impaired blood clotting (coagulopathy) and toxic damage to the brain (hepatic encephalopathy).
Causes of Acute Liver Failure (ALF)
Acute Liver Failure (ALF) develops as a result of massive necrosis of liver tissues. The most common triggers for this condition include:
Toxic damage by medications: most often — overdose of paracetamol (acetaminophen), reaction to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics, or anti-epileptic drugs.
Poisoning by toxins: consumption of poisonous mushrooms (in particular, the Death Cap), industrial chemicals.
Viral infections: acute viral hepatitis (most often hepatitis B, less commonly A, E), as well as herpes viruses, Epstein-Barr virus, cytomegalovirus.
Autoimmune diseases: rapid progression of autoimmune hepatitis.
Vascular pathologies: Budd-Chiari syndrome (thrombosis of the hepatic veins), ischemic hepatitis (due to shock or heart failure).
Metabolic disorders: Wilson's disease, acute fatty liver of pregnancy.
Symptoms of Acute Liver Failure (ALF)
The disease develops rapidly. The first signs may be non-specific (weakness, nausea), but the condition quickly worsens. The main clinical manifestations are:
Jaundice: rapid yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes.
Hepatic encephalopathy: impaired consciousness ranging from mild disorientation, drowsiness, and hand tremor to deep coma.
Hemorrhagic syndrome: tendency to bleeding (nasal, gastrointestinal), appearance of bruises without visible causes.
Pain and heaviness: localized in the right upper quadrant; upon palpation, the liver may be sharply reduced or enlarged.
Ascites: rapid accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity.
Diagnosis of Acute Liver Failure (ALF) at Oberig Clinic
The diagnosis of Acute Liver Failure (ALF) requires emergency examination in the intensive care unit. The comprehensive examination includes:
Extended laboratory tests: assessment of liver enzyme levels (ALT, AST), bilirubin, creatinine, and ammonia in the blood.
Coagulogram: a critically important indicator — prothrombin time (PT) and INR for assessing blood clotting.
Toxicological and virological screening: search for markers of viral hepatitis and toxins.
Instrumental imaging: Ultrasound of the abdominal organs with Doppler sonography of the liver vessels, CT or MRI to rule out tumors, thromboses, or chronic cirrhosis.
Treatment of Acute Liver Failure (ALF) at Oberig Clinic
Patients with Acute Liver Failure (ALF) are subject to immediate hospitalization in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
Conservative treatment is aimed at supporting vital functions: administration of specific antidotes (e.g., N-acetylcysteine for paracetamol poisoning), correction of cerebral edema, hemodynamic support, use of extracorporeal blood purification methods (hemodialysis).
Surgical treatment:
In cases where conservative therapy is ineffective and the risk of fatal outcome rapidly increases, the only method of saving a patient's life is urgent liver transplantation.
Why choose "Oberig" for the treatment of Acute Liver Failure (ALF)?
Expert Resuscitation: The intensive care unit is equipped with the most modern equipment to support vital functions in case of multiple organ failure, including machines for renal replacement therapy and extracorporeal liver support. Assistance is provided by a dedicated team of experienced intensivists and anesthetist nurses.
Leadership in Transplantology: "Oberig" is the leader in Ukraine in performing living-related liver transplantation. Our transplant surgeons have vast successful experience in saving patients in critical conditions.
Speed of Decision-Making: The presence of our own highly accurate laboratory and expert-class diagnostic equipment (Ultrasound, 3T MRI, 128-slice CT scanner) allows for establishing the cause of Acute Liver Failure (ALF) and initiating targeted treatment within the first hours of hospitalization.
Full-Cycle Clinic: Emergency care, patient transportation with subsequent hospitalization in the intensive care and resuscitation unit, a wide range of diagnostic services (MRI, CT, Ultrasound, laboratory tests, pathohistology) and all types of treatment for acute liver failure, including liver transplantation, — all in one clinic.
Patient Safety: Ensuring infectious monitoring at all stages of treatment.
Sign up for a consultation with Oberig Clinic doctors
Online consultation appointment: https://my.oberig.ua/ua/appointment/ or call +38 044 521 30 03
