Lancet 1990 Jan 6;335(8680):32-5

Liver transplantation for acute hepatic failure

Chapman RW, Forman D, Peto R, Smallwood R
Department of Gastroenterology, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK.

Abstract
In the absence of definitive medical treatment for severe fulminant hepatic
failure, liver transplantation may be appropriate in selected patients. However,
uniform and easily applicable criteria for diagnosis of severity and analysis of
results are needed to prevent unnecessary transplantation and to ensure that
patients who may benefit are appropriately treated. Previous regimens for
treatment of fulminant hepatic failure were often advocated, on the basis of
data from historical controls, for several years until controlled trials failed
to show any benefit. To obtain reliable information more rapidly than achieved
before, a controlled trial between specialist liver transplant units is needed
to establish the role of emergency hepatic transplantation in patients with
fulminant hepatic failure