Management Overview

The aetiology should be sought and treated in all cases.

Treatment is mainly supportive and consists of end organ support until a transplant becomes available or liver function improves.

Learning bite

Critical care management in a specialist tertiary referral unit is recommended for most patients with acute liver failure.

Intracranial Pressure (ICP)

Management of cerebral oedema and intracranial hypertension

Infection

Prompt recognition and treatment of infection

Coagulation

Monitoring and possibly trading coagulopathies

Nutrition

Early nutritional support

GI Bleeding

Prevention and recognition of gastrointestinal bleeding

Fluid

Fluid and electrolyte management with haemodynamic monitoring

Transplant

Identification of those patients requiring and suitable for transplant