experience of fulminant hepatic failure in Lahore

ABSTRACT

To critically evaluate the prevalence, clinical presentation, associated factors, diagnosis and prognosis of Fulminant Hepatic Failure in a hospital setting. Design: A prospective study of patients with fulminant hepatic failure and hepatocellular jaundice. Setting: Department of Medicine, Mayo Hospital/K.E. Medical College, Lahore-Pakistan. Subjects: Nine hundred ninety eight consecutive patients with hepatocellular jaundice admitted to Mayo Hospital from 1989-92. Out of a total of 998, 30 patients [3%] had acute fulminant hepatic failure. Majority of these patients were young females [24/30] with F M ratio 4 1 and most of these were pregnant in their third trimester common cause was viral hepatitis followed by drug induced hepatic injury. Twenty five [83.33%] of the patients died within one week of admission and 5 [16.67%] who survived were those who had relatively prolonged incubation period. Acute Fulminant Hepatic Failure [FHF] is rare but very serious complication of Acute Viral hepatitis [AVH]. Liver transplantation is the treatment of choice. Future treatment possibilities are discussed