Fulminant hepatitis, also known as fulminant liver failure or severe acute hepatitis, corresponds to severe inflammation of the liver that can lead to death within a few days.
The symptoms of fulminant hepatitis are similar to those of other hepatitis, however what distinguishes it from acute hepatitis is the fact that the person's urine is constantly dark. Due to the speed with which the liver is compromised, it is important that the diagnosis is made quickly so that treatment in hospital can be started.
Symptoms of Fulminant Hepatitis
The symptoms of fulminant hepatitis can manifest quickly, and within a few hours the person can appear very weak. The main signs and symptoms of fulminant hepatitis are:
- Dark urine; Yellowed eyes and skin, a condition called jaundice; General malaiseLow fever; Nausea; Pain in the right side of the abdomen; Abdominal swelling; Sleep disturbances.
When the person is very compromised the reasoning can be slow, being indicative of an advanced state of the disease. For the diagnosis of fulminant hepatitis, the doctor must observe the patient and request laboratory tests and a biopsy of the liver tissue that allows the severity of the lesions and sometimes the causes of the disease to be detected.
Is fulminant hepatitis curable?
Fulminant hepatitis is curable when the diagnosis is made as soon as the first signs and symptoms of the disease appear and treatment is started soon after. Drug treatment is not always sufficient to restore liver function, in which case liver transplantation is indicated so that the person can achieve a cure. Understand how the liver transplant is done.
After the transplant, the person may have a survival rate that varies according to the cause of liver failure, among other aspects such as age and involvement of other organs such as the kidneys, for example.
Main causes
Fulminant hepatitis usually occurs as a consequence of other situations, the main ones being:
- Complication of hepatitis A and B, although less frequent; Autoimmune diseases such as Reye's syndrome and Wilson's disease; Use of medications, most often as a result of self-medication; Consumption of teas for excess weight loss and without guidance; Lack of oxygen in the liver tissues; Excess fat in the liver during pregnancy.
When any of these situations are present, the person's liver can be severely affected, no longer able to filter the blood to eliminate its impurities and to store vitamins and minerals. As the function of the liver is essential to life, when the organ reaches this point the person has symptoms such as yellow skin and eyes, loss of appetite, nausea, dark urine, weight loss and abdominal swelling. When treatment is not started promptly, the liver stops converting ammonia into urea and the disease progresses affecting the brain, starting a condition called hepatic encephalopathy, which can be followed by failure or failure of other organs like kidneys or lungs, and possible coma.
How is the treatment
Treatment for fulminant hepatitis is done in a hospital setting and consists of taking drugs to detoxify the liver. It is important that the person fast for a period and then receive an adequate, fat-free diet. Sometimes dialysis to purify the blood is necessary.
However, this is not always sufficient to cure fulminant hepatitis, as liver inflammation is often extensive and there is no chance of reversal. Thus, a liver transplant can be recommended, and the patient must be admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in a waiting list for the transplant, until a compatible donor appears.
The waiting time in the queue for the transplant depends on the availability of a compatible organ, however patients with fulminant hepatitis are recognized as a top priority, and pass the others with the first compatible liver that appears for transplantation at their disposal.
