Acute Liver Failure/Injury Flashcards
Fulminant Hepatic Failure
- clinical syndrome
- massive necrosis of liver cells/dysfunction
- preceding liver disease absent
- duration <8 weeks
- 66% mortality
Etiology of Fulminant Hepatic Failure
- Viral (A,B,D,E, Herpes, CMV, EBV, Varicella, Adeno)
- Drug & Toxin (acetaminophen, halothane, NSAIDS, herbals)
- Ischemic (shock, Budd-Chiari)
- Metabolic (Wilson, Fatty liver of pregnancy, Reye’s Syndrome)
- Miscellaneous (Malignant Infiltration, Bacterial Infection)
Fulminant Hepatic Failure: Viral
- most common cause
- HAV rare usually > 40 years old
- HBV: 50% coinfection w/delta, reactivation after immunosuppression
- HEV: pregnant females
- Immunocompromised: HSV, CMV, EBV, Varicella, Adenovirus
Fulminant Hepatic Failure: Vascular
- Budd-Chiari: acute w/hepatic vein thrombosis
- Hypotension: surgical shock, cardiac failure, septic shock
- Hypoxia: hepatic artery occlusion, pulmonary failure
Fulminant Hepatic Failure: Metabolic
- Wilson’s Disease: ceruloplasmin low, Cu high, hemolysis w/Hepatic Failure
- Fatty Liver of Pregnancy: microvesicular fat with fatty acid metabolism abn.
- Reye’s Syndrome: same above mitochondrial dysfunction
Fulminant Hepatic Failure: Infiltrative
Malignant Infiltration -Lymphoma (Burkitt's) -Malignant histiocytosis -CML, acute monoblastic leukemia -massive infarction & necrosis -Metastic cancer-small cell carcinoma of lung Severe Bacterial Infection
FHF Investigations
Viral (HBsAg, HBcAb-IgM, HDV-Ab, HAV-IgM)
Metabolic-ceruloplasmin, anti-nuclear abs & smooth muscle abs
General-CMP, CBC, INR, AFP
Hepatotoxic Drugs
Mushroom poisoning
Herbal Remedies
Fulminant Hepatic Failure: Clinical
- Jaundice not related to neuropsych abn.
- Liver size large (small with collapse)
- vomiting
- inc. HR, BP, RR & fever are late signs
- focal neurological signs, high fever may indicate alternative source of PSE
R/O Chronic Liver Disease
- no liver history
- small hard liver
- splenomegally
- vascular collaterals
Portosystemic Encephalopathy
- Multifactoral: dec. glucose, perfusion, anoxia, change in electrolytes, edema
- Neurotoxins: ammonia, GABA mercaptins, benzos
- False Neurotransmitters: Aromatic Amino Acids (serotonin)
Encephalopathy & EEG
Stage 1: normal alert
2: inc. EEG amplitude with confusion
3: drowsy with dec. EEG wave frequency
4: coma w/triphasic EEG waves, diffuse slow waves
Neuropsychiatric: Fulminant Hepatic Failure
- reticular stimulation (brain stem depression)
- Early: personality change, anti-social, restless delerium (reticular stim)
- Late: decerebrate rigidity (spasticity, extention of limbs), disconjugate gaze, Pupillary reflux loss, CVS collapse
Cerebral Edema
-common cause of death w/cerebellar & brain stem coning
-PaCO2 rises & blood flow inc
-Inc in ICP
-Death w/brain stem vascular interruption
-Decerebrate rigidity, extention posture
-Pupillary reflexes lost
(arching neck, erratic breathing, pronation of hands, seizure like activity, hyperextended extremities)
Fulminant Liver Failure: Hypoglycemia
- seen in 40%
- high plasma insulin levels
- may lead to sudden death
- lactic acidosis develops in 50%
- due to inadequate tissue perfusion (+/- sepsis)
Fulminant Liver Failure: Good Indicator of Prognosis
INR
Fulminant Liver Failure: Other Effects
Acid-Base/Electrolytes
Renal Failure
Respiratory & CV failure
Infections
Fulminant Liver Failure: Prognostic Indicators
age: 40 y/o small liver ascites jaundice> 7 days before encephalopathy hypoglycemia hepatocyte necrosis >75% (biopsy) (Grade I or II encephalopathy 66%) (Grade III or IV encephalopathy 20%)
Fulminant Hepatic Failure: Treatment
- Vitals, Labs, LOC, I/O monitoring
- Encephalopathy (Lactulose, mannitol, hyperventilation)
- Coagulopathy
- Nutrition (glucose, MVI, Elemental feeds)
- Renal (ultrafiltration, dialysis)
- Infections - treat as indicated
Artificial Hepatic Support
- liver dialysis unit (don’t have)
- variations on charcoal hemoperfusion
Liver Transplantation
- Neuroaxis intact
- Survival 75%
- No comorbid contraindications: cardiac, renal, respiratory, psychosocial
Common Causes of Hepatic Injury?
alcohol shock tylenol sepsis antibiotics pregnancy viral hepatitis
What does portal vein do?
-brings blood from intestines and spleen to liver
Hepatic Blood Supply
Duel
- Portal Vein (70%)
- Hepatic Artery (30%)
- less vulnerable to ischemia, but shock can cause ischemic hepatitis (especially from long term heart failure)
- portal vein thrombosis can cause ischemia limited to liver