[Fulminant hepatitis. Complications and therapeutic possibilities]

Clinic and histologic characteristics in fulminant hepatitis are pointed out, participation of other organs is reported. Coma, bleeding and renal failure are complications and often are followed by death. Conservative treatment prophylacting complications is described. Newer methods in treatment of coma are exchange-transfusion, liver-perfusion and -grafting. They showed success in some cases. Success, however is less due to the method than to ability of regeneration of the remaining liver tissue. Despite the newer methods of treatment the rate of mortality is yet 80 to 90%.