Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Acute liver failure.

W Bernal1, J Wendon

  • 1Institute of Liver Studies, Kings College Hospital, London, UK.

Current Opinion in Anaesthesiology
|October 4, 2006
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Acute liver failure is often caused by viral infections globally, with drug-induced liver injury being common in Western countries. Liver transplantation remains the only treatment proven to improve survival rates for acute liver failure.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Incidence and outcomes of healthcare-associated COVID-19 infections: significance of delayed diagnosis and correlation with staff absence.

The Journal of hospital infection·2020
Same author

Processes of consent in research for adults with impaired mental capacity nearing the end of life: systematic review and transparent expert consultation (MORECare_Capacity statement).

BMC medicine·2020
Same author

Short- and long-term mortality after liver transplantation in patients with and without hepatocellular carcinoma in the UK.

The British journal of surgery·2020
Same author

Platelet-leucocyte aggregation is augmented in cirrhosis and further increased by platelet transfusion.

Alimentary pharmacology & therapeutics·2018
Same author

Biologic therapies for refractory juvenile dermatomyositis: five years of experience of the Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance in North America.

Pediatric rheumatology online journal·2017
Same author

Improving the Diagnostic Criteria for Primary Liver Graft Nonfunction in Adults Utilizing Standard and Transportable Laboratory Parameters: An Outcome-Based Analysis.

American journal of transplantation : official journal of the American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons·2017
Same journal

The evolution of nonoperating room anesthesia: navigating a new frontier.

Current opinion in anaesthesiology·2026
Same journal

Enhanced recovery pathways for patients with chronic pain: beyond standard protocols - a narrative review.

Current opinion in anaesthesiology·2026
Same journal

Novel technologies and innovations in postoperative follow-up after regional anesthesia.

Current opinion in anaesthesiology·2026
Same journal

Regional anaesthesia and analgesia in surgical patients with chronic preoperative pain: mechanisms, evidence, and clinical implications.

Current opinion in anaesthesiology·2026
Same journal

Retention in pain care and research: a narrative review focused on implanted medical devices.

Current opinion in anaesthesiology·2026
Same journal

Airway ultrasound in patients undergoing head and neck surgery.

Current opinion in anaesthesiology·2026
See all related articles

Area of Science:

  • Hepatology
  • Virology
  • Toxicology

Background:

  • Viral infections are the primary cause of acute liver failure worldwide, potentially exacerbated by chronic viral hepatitis.
  • Drug-induced hepatotoxicity, particularly from acetaminophen and Ecstasy, is a leading cause in the USA and Western Europe.
  • Hepatic encephalopathy and cerebral edema are severe, life-threatening complications with incompletely understood pathogenesis, possibly linked to ammonia metabolism.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the etiological agents and management strategies for acute liver failure.
  • To highlight the role of viral infections and drug toxicity in acute liver failure.
  • To discuss complications like hepatic encephalopathy and current and future treatment options.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of viral infections, drug-induced liver injury, and acute liver failure.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Analysis of etiological factors including hepatitis G virus, transfusion-transmitted virus, acetaminophen, and Ecstasy.
  • Evaluation of treatment modalities such as induced hypothermia and liver transplantation.

    • Main Results:

    • Hepatotrophic viruses like hepatitis G virus are unlikely major causes of acute liver failure.
    • Acetaminophen and Ecstasy are significant causes of drug-induced liver injury leading to acute liver failure.
    • Induced hypothermia shows promise for cerebral edema, but emergency liver transplantation is the only proven survival-improving treatment.

    Conclusions:

    • Acute liver failure has diverse causes, with viral infections and drug toxicity being prominent.
    • Management of complications like cerebral edema is critical, with liver transplantation offering the best survival outcome.
    • Advancements in liver transplantation, including living donor and auxiliary options, are expected to improve patient survival and reduce immunosuppression needs.