[Acute liver failure: current hepatological-surgical therapy results]

For fulminant hepatic failure the prognosis is depending on the onset of severe encephalopathy (coma grade III to IV), cerebral oedema, renal and respiratory failure. Treatment strategies must be devoted to limit these complications and proceed with an urgent liver transplantation. Overall 1-year survival rates after hepatic transplantation in fulminant liver failure are as high as 80%.