[Endogenic hepatic coma in the course of acute hepatitis treated with arterialization of portal blood].

Symptoms of endogenic hepatic coma were observed in the course of acute hepatitis in 17 patients admitted to the I Clinic of Infectious Diseases of Silesian Medical School between 1987 and 1992. Five of them were treated with the arterialization of portal blood. At least one exchange transfusion preceded the arterialization in four cases. Recovery was obtained in 3 patients. Two patients died because of complications which occurred during the twenty-four hours after the intervention. In the first case the reason of the death was the extensive myocardial infarction, in the second one-DIC and ARDS. As it has been observed, the prothrombin rate should not be lower than 30% in these patients who are to undergo the arterialization of portal blood. This value of the prothrombin rate is provided by at least one exchange transfusion.