Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure vs. Traditional Acute Decompensation of Cirrhosis

In this Grand Round presentation, the case of a woman with acute decompensation of cirrhosis due to spontaneous bacterial peritonitis is described. She subsequently developed liver failure, type 1 hepatorenal syndrome, severe hepatic encephalopathy, and respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation. Her critical illness raised several clinical and ethical dilemmas regarding prognosis, therapeutic options, and futility of care. We will discuss the utility of Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure (ACLF) entity detection, the tools available for estimating outcomes, the current evidences on management of ACLF, and potential salvage therapies (including experimental).
Source: Journal of Hepatology - Category: Gastroenterology Authors: Tags: Grand Rounds Source Type: research