Acute liver failure

Acute liver failure (ALF) is a rare but dramatic clinical syndrome associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality. Although there are a multitude of causes of ALF, acetaminophen hepatotoxicity remains the most common cause in the United States. Outcomes in ALF are largely dependent on the etiology, maximal grade of encephalopathy, and management of the infectious, hematologic, hemodynamic, and cerebral complications of ALF in the intensive care unit setting. Liver transplantation is the treatment of choice for patients with a low likelihood of spontaneous survival and is associated with excellent short- and long-term outcomes.