Probable acute fatty liver of pregnancy presenting with dyspnoea and ground-glass opacities

Abstract

We present the case of a postpartum woman presenting with acute dyspnoea and hypoxia. She was found to have liver enzyme derangement with evidence of synthetic dysfunction. Computed tomography of her chest showed ground-glass opacities. The causes of this phenomenon are discussed, including the difficulties in differentiating amniotic fluid embolism and acute fatty liver in pregnancy. Pulmonary fat embolism is also considered as a differential diagnosis.