Acute liver failure. Diagnosis, management and results after orthotopic liver transplantation.

From february 1989 till october 1992, we performed 13 orthotopic liver transplantations on 8 patients admitted with the diagnosis of fulminant hepatic failure. The mortality of this affection, despite many treatments is very high, from 60 to 90% at three months according to the literature. Liver transplantation seems to be actually the treatment of choice in many cases. The purpose of this study is to review current concepts about this affection, indications for liver transplantation and results in our small series with a survival rate of 85% at 3 months, 75% at 6 months and 1 year.