Acute Liver Failure: Current Updates and Management

Abstract

Acute liver failure (ALF) is a rare disease condition with a dynamic clinical course and catastrophic outcomes. Several etiologies are involved in ALF. Hepatitis A and B infections and indiscriminate use of untested herbs or supplemental agents are the most common causes of ALF in Korea. Noninvasive neurological monitoring tools have been used in patients with ALF in recent times. Ongoing improvements in intensive care, including continuous renal replacement therapy, therapeutic plasma exchange, vasopressor, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, have reduced the mortality rate of patients with ALF. However, liver transplantation is still the most effective treatment for patients with intractable ALF. There is a need for further research in the areas of better prognostication and precise selection of patients for emergency transplantation.