Intensive Care Network Podcasts

The patient with chronic liver disease presents a range of potential challenges when a severe intercurrent illness occurs or major surgery is required. Even well-compensated liver cirrhosis in high functioning patients renders such individuals vulnerable to a myriad of problems when physiological stressors occur. Severe acute liver failure is another clearly defined sydrome in which extremely rapid and complex multiple organ failure typically ensues. Whilst intensivists are familiar and adept with the management of other major organ failure, new acute liver failure or decompensated chronic liver disease is particularly difficult to manage due to the inherent breadth of roles that the liver has in maintaining health as well as the current lack of comprehensive support therapies other than organ transplantation. While effective artificial life-supports for severe respiratory, cardiac or renal failure are available in the intensive care setting, support for over liver failure is less straightforward. The failin