Acute liver failure refers to abrupt loss of liver function. It has a high mortality rate. It can be divided into three stages. Stage 1 is the early stage. Patients have extreme fatigue, obvious loss of appetite, abdominal distension, vomiting, and progressive jaundice. Stage 2 is the intermediate stage. Patients have hepatic encephalopathy and abdominal cavity liquid retention (ascites). Stage 3 is the late stage. Patients have severe complications, hepatic encephalopathy above degree III, and severe bleeding tendency. There is no effective therapy for the disease yet. Liver transplantation is currently the most effective treatment methods. Artificial liver support system and liver cell transplantation are promising experimental methods.
How is Acute liver failure treated in practice?