ABSTRACT
Acute liver failure may be the first presentation of liver impairment or may occur in a child who is known to have underlying liver disease. The term fulminant hepatic failure is used when the patient has acute liver failure without preexisting liver disease. It occurs, by definition in association with hepatic encephalopathy. The most common cause is viral hepatitis. There is a particularly high risk with concommitent hepatitis B and D infections. Other causes include toxins such as paracetamol poisoning. There is a high mortality of 65-90%, depending on the degree of encephalopathy.
