Acute Liver Failure – Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

 The incidence of acute liver failure has recently been on the rise, and the most common causes of liver failure include infection and self-harm. In Tamil Nadu, intake of rat poison (yellow phosphorus poisoning) is a leading cause of liver failure, especially among the younger population.

Rat poison is readily available now and, when taken, can cause severe damage to the liver. Accessibility to yellow phosphorus should be controlled. After the intake of yellow phosphorus, patients might remain stable for 24-48 hours. But it is crucial to take the patient to the hospital immediately after knowing about the poison intake. Liver failure treatment should be started without waiting for the symptoms of liver failure to show up. Patients should be closely monitored since they risk developing jaundice and clotting deficiency. As these complications set in, the patient’s survival chances decrease. Hence, early treatment is essential to help the liver sustain the injury and support the liver.

 

Also Read: Success of Liver Transplantation, post-transplant Dos and Don’ts

 

 If the liver is not recovering even after the support, liver transplantation is the only solution for these patients to survive.

The most common infections that cause acute liver failure are Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis E. Hepatitis A and E infections are caused by food contamination, while Hepatitis B infections are transmitted through blood infusions or needle pricks into the bloodstream.

Infections due to hepatitis A and E are less, and the damage to the liver is mostly reversible.

Kauvery Hospital

A patient with acute liver failure should be started with liver failure treatment, irrespective of the causes. At Kauvery Hospital, we have an intensive care unit that can take care of these emergencies. To get the best liver transplant in Chennai, visit our hospital.

 

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