ABSTRACT
Acute liver failure (ALF, also known as fulminant hepatitis) develops as an uncommon complication of acute viral infection. ALF describes a spectrum of acute liver disorders (see section 5.1) that are complex, require specialist management and carry a high mortality. Prompt diagnosis of viral from non-viral etiology delineates likely prognosis without liver transplantation. In expert hands, with medical management alone, survival rates of 40-60% can be achieved for fulminant hepatitis A and B if referred before development of cerebral edema. In contrast, the uniformly poor prognosis of most other causes of ALF requires early diagnosis and assessment for suitability for liver transplantation.
