Biomaterial Database

Approaches to the management of fulminant hepatic failure. 1975

B F Scharschmidt

This discussion has concerned the management of fulminant hepatic failure with stage III or IV encephalopathy occurring in a patient with previously normal liver function. Basic medical management must include special attention to the metabolic, neurologic, hemorrhagic, and infectious complications common to this syndrome as well as aggressive supportive care. Because the mortality rate remains high in spite of these measures, a variety of other approaches to therapy continue to be evaluated. These include corticosteroid administration, exchange transfusion, plasmapheresis, and the development of extracorporeal hepatic support systems.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007003	Hypoglycemia	A syndrome of abnormally low BLOOD GLUCOSE level. Clinical hypoglycemia has diverse etiologies. Severe hypoglycemia eventually lead to glucose deprivation of the CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM resulting in HUNGER; SWEATING; PARESTHESIA; impaired mental function; SEIZURES; COMA; and even DEATH.	Fasting Hypoglycemia,Postabsorptive Hypoglycemia,Postprandial Hypoglycemia,Reactive Hypoglycemia,Hypoglycemia, Fasting,Hypoglycemia, Postabsorptive,Hypoglycemia, Postprandial,Hypoglycemia, Reactive
D007008	Hypokalemia	Abnormally low potassium concentration in the blood. It may result from potassium loss by renal secretion or by the gastrointestinal route, as by vomiting or diarrhea. It may be manifested clinically by neuromuscular disorders ranging from weakness to paralysis, by electrocardiographic abnormalities (depression of the T wave and elevation of the U wave), by renal disease, and by gastrointestinal disorders. (Dorland, 27th ed)	Hypopotassemia,Hypokalemias,Hypopotassemias
D007010	Hyponatremia	Deficiency of sodium in the blood; salt depletion. (Dorland, 27th ed)	Hyponatremias
D007136	Immunoglobulins	Multi-subunit proteins which function in IMMUNITY. They are produced by B LYMPHOCYTES from the IMMUNOGLOBULIN GENES. They are comprised of two heavy (IMMUNOGLOBULIN HEAVY CHAINS) and two light chains (IMMUNOGLOBULIN LIGHT CHAINS) with additional ancillary polypeptide chains depending on their isoforms. The variety of isoforms include monomeric or polymeric forms, and transmembrane forms (B-CELL ANTIGEN RECEPTORS) or secreted forms (ANTIBODIES). They are divided by the amino acid sequence of their heavy chains into five classes (IMMUNOGLOBULIN A; IMMUNOGLOBULIN D; IMMUNOGLOBULIN E; IMMUNOGLOBULIN G; IMMUNOGLOBULIN M) and various subclasses.	Globulins, Immune,Immune Globulin,Immune Globulins,Immunoglobulin,Globulin, Immune
D007239	Infections	Invasion of the host organism by microorganisms or their toxins or by parasites that can cause pathological conditions or diseases.	Infection,Infection and Infestation,Infections and Infestations,Infestation and Infection,Infestations and Infections
D010477	Perfusion	Treatment process involving the injection of fluid into an organ or tissue.	Perfusions
D010956	Plasmapheresis	Procedure whereby plasma is separated and extracted from anticoagulated whole blood and the red cells retransfused to the donor. Plasmapheresis is also employed for therapeutic use.	Double Filtration Plasmapheresis,Therapeutic Immunoadsorption,Therapeutic Plasma Adsorption,Therapeutic Plasmapheresis,Adsorption, Therapeutic Plasma,Adsorptions, Therapeutic Plasma,Double Filtration Plasmaphereses,Filtration Plasmapheresis, Double,Immunoadsorption, Therapeutic,Plasma Adsorption, Therapeutic,Plasmaphereses,Plasmapheresis, Double Filtration,Plasmapheresis, Therapeutic,Therapeutic Immunoadsorptions,Therapeutic Plasma Adsorptions,Therapeutic Plasmaphereses
D012131	Respiratory Insufficiency	Failure to adequately provide oxygen to cells of the body and to remove excess carbon dioxide from them. (Stedman, 25th ed)	Acute Hypercapnic Respiratory Failure,Acute Hypoxemic Respiratory Failure,Hypercapnic Acute Respiratory Failure,Hypercapnic Respiratory Failure,Hypoxemic Acute Respiratory Failure,Hypoxemic Respiratory Failure,Respiratory Depression,Respiratory Failure,Ventilatory Depression,Depressions, Ventilatory,Failure, Hypercapnic Respiratory,Failure, Hypoxemic Respiratory,Failure, Respiratory,Hypercapnic Respiratory Failures,Hypoxemic Respiratory Failures,Respiratory Failure, Hypercapnic,Respiratory Failure, Hypoxemic,Respiratory Failures
D005078	Exchange Transfusion, Whole Blood	Repetitive withdrawal of small amounts of blood and replacement with donor blood until a large proportion of the blood volume has been exchanged. Used in treatment of fetal erythroblastosis, hepatic coma, sickle cell anemia, disseminated intravascular coagulation, septicemia, burns, thrombotic thrombopenic purpura, and fulminant malaria.
D005112	Extracorporeal Circulation	Diversion of blood flow through a circuit located outside the body but continuous with the bodily circulation.	Circulation, Extracorporeal,Circulations, Extracorporeal,Extracorporeal Circulations