Acute Liver Failure – Causes And Treatment
Liver failure, also called liver insufficiency or liver dysfunction, is a serious medical condition. It occurs when the liver cannot detoxify the body’s blood or produce important proteins and other substances needed for life. Acute liver failure is a rare but potentially life-threatening complication of cirrhosis that can happen suddenly with no warning signs at all. BLK Max Hospital is the right platform for you to get your biliary surgery done.
In this article, we will explore what causes acute liver failure and how it’s treated.
Let’s get started.
What Is Liver Failure?
Acute liver failure is when liver damage becomes so severe that the liver stops working. It’s also called acute hepatic failure, acute hepatic insufficiency, fulminant liver disease or shock liver. When liver failure occurs, all these important liver functions stop working properly.
Without the liver doing its job, toxins build up in your system (toxemia), damaging other organs like the kidneys and brain. This leads to serious complications such as encephalopathy (brain swelling) or coagulopathy (abnormal bleeding). If you’re looking for the best surgeon for liver and biliary surgery in Delhi, then you must consider going to an expert for the treatment.
Causes
Acute liver failure happens when the liver cells are severely damaged, and cannot function. The following are some of the possible causes:
- Herbal supplements: Acute liver failure has been associated with herbal medications and supplements such as pennyroyal, kava, skullcap and ephedra. Those liver diseases that may be connected to herbal supplements include jaundice, hepatitis and liver toxicity. The condition worsens when there is any damage in the liver cells, like inflammation in an area called necrosis which happens due to interruption of blood flow through vessels termed sinusoids.
- Autoimmune illness: Autoimmune hepatitis is a disorder wherein your immune system destroys liver cells, producing inflammation and damage, leading to liver failure. It is the most common liver condition that leads to liver failure. A rare but very serious disorder,when left untreated or undiagnosed, can lead to liver damage and eventually cirrhosis of the liver.
- Metabolic disorder: Acute liver failure is a serious complication of rare metabolic illnesses, including Wilson’s disease and acute fatty liver during pregnancy. Chronic liver diseases are also a common cause of liver failure.
- Shock: A severe infection (sepsis) or shock can drastically reduce blood supply to the liver, resulting in liver failure. It occurs when the cells cannot function, which may be caused by liver damage or an acute loss in blood flow.
- Prescription on medicines: Antibiotics, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines, and anticonvulsants are among the medications that might induce acute liver failure.
- Hepatitis and several viruses: Acute liver failure is a complication of hepatitis A, B, and E. Epstein-Barr viruses, herpes simplex virus and cytomegalovirus are causing acute liver failure.
- Cancer: The failure of your liver might be caused by cancer that starts in or extends to your liver. Cancerous tumours occur in the liver when cancer cells multiply uncontrollably to form lumps of tissue called growths or masses.
- Toxins: The toxic wild fungus Amanita phalloides, occasionally confused with one that is fit for consumption, contains toxins that can induce abrupt liver failure. Some other toxins that can induce abrupt liver failure include carbon tetrachloride. That’s an organic solvent that’s used in varnish, coolants and waxes, as well as other substances’ solvents.
- Acetaminophen overdose: Acetaminophen overdose is a significant problem for people who regularly take large amounts of acetaminophen. Even small overdoses, if combined with moderate alcohol consumption or fasting, can result in liver injury. It has been stated that around 50% of reported cases are related to suicide attempts rather than unintentional ingestion.
Treatment Of Liver Failure
- Supportive Care
Supportive care is the main goal in liver failure treatment. Support includes the use of IV fluids, electrolytes and blood products to correct any abnormalities that may arise from liver failure. In addition, nutrition needs are also addressed through intravenous amino acids or total parenteral nutrition (TPN). In cases of acute liver injury, artificial liver support can be used as a temporary measure while waiting for liver transplantation. You can also get the supportive care at BLK-Max Super Speciality Hospital at an affordable price.
- Medication
Drugs that can suppress liver cell function and inflammation (such as acetaminophen and penicillin) should be discontinued. Patients with liver failure are usually treated in an intensive care unit to monitor vital signs and close observation. Intravenous fluid resuscitation is often necessary because liver disease causes the liver to stop producing enough albumin, which helps maintain blood volume within normal limits.
- Liver Transplant
A liver transplant is a surgery to replace a diseased liver with healthy liver tissue from another person. This treatment may be an option for people who have liver failure or acute liver injury due to cirrhosis, hepatitis B infection, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), autoimmune disease of the liver, primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). Liver transplants are not done for other causes of liver damage, such as alcohol-related cirrhosis.
The Bottom Line
Acute liver failure (ALF) is characterized by liver dysfunction within eight weeks of the onset of symptoms. It usually occurs due to drug toxicity, bacterial or viral infection, and liver injury leading to bile duct obstruction. The prognosis for the liver disease has improved over time; however, ALF still carries significant morbidity and mortality. The treatment for liver failure primarily includes medications, liver transplant and supportive care.
