[Fulminant liver failure: etiopathogenesis and therapy]

Fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) is a clinical syndrome characterized by the development of encephalopathy within eight weeks from the onset of the first symptoms, in the absence of previous hepatic disease. It is an uncommon but not rare disease, often fatal but potentially reversible. This article looks at the diverse aetiologies, clinical features, and current medical management, including orthotopic liver transplantation, and auxiliary orthotopic or eterotopic liver transplantation, that are the most recently adopted surgical procedures. Clinical experience with bio-artificial liver support systems of two of the most active research Groups in this field, concludes the paper.