[Complications of hepatic coma in liver cirrhosis]

59 patients with exogenous liver coma in state III-IV were treated from 1980 to 1989 in our clinic. Incidence and complications in these patients were evaluated retrospectively. The most frequent eliciting factors were gastrointestinal bleeding, infections and acute alcohol excess, more than 2/3 of them having severe portal hypertension with ascites and esophageal varices at the time. Altogether 55 of the 59 liver coma patients died. The most important complications were, beside bleeding and infections, disturbances of the renal function and of the coagulation. Severe acute or chronic liver injury is often associated with multiorgan failure.