[Hepatic coma. Principles of pathogenesis and treatment. 2: Treatment, prognosis]

According to the multifactorial pathogenesis of hepatic coma, generally caused by the increased formation of toxic protein metabolites in the gut, the most important therapeutical measure is the cleaning and acidifying of the gut. This is possible very simply and cheaply by high enemas of sodium acetate buffers of pH 4,5 and lactulose. If necessary, neomycin or paromomycin must be administered in high doses of 6--8 gm/daily to reduce the pathogenic intestinal bacteria. The detoxification capacity of liver and brain can be improved by intravenous and later oral administration of ammonia reducing amino acids such as arginine, ornithine, and aspartic acid (10--20 gm/daily). They diminish also the elevated serum phenols. Very helpful are also branched chain amino acids which improve apparently the detoxification capacity of the muscle. Very important is the normalization of disturbances of the water and electrolyte balance, especially the normalization of hypokalemia. Very difficult is a successful treatment of cerebral edema and the disturbances of blood coagulation. In special cases of endogenous hepatic coma liver perfusions, hemodialysis, charcoal perfusions a.s.o. can eliminate successfully toxic protein metabolites, whilst this treatment is generally insufficient in the more frequent exogenous hepatic coma. In summary the prognosis of hepatic coma is also nowadays very serious and can only be improved by the early recognition and elimination of exacerbating factors.