Treatment of liver failure: how is a diseased liver treated?

A patient with a diagnosis of liver failure must be admitted to the intensive care unit. Treatment must be initiated as soon as possible with a focus on treating the cause.

If the failure was caused, for example, by poisoning, medication is administered for this purpose.

The mainstay of treatment is the removal of nitrogen-forming substances from proteins from the body.

The diet consists of a complete restriction of protein intake in the diet.

The intestine is cleansed with laxatives or enemas to rid the body of ammonia. As a laxative to empty the intestinal contents, lactulose, duphalac is used.

Hemoperfusion works well. In hemoperfusion, the patient's blood is cleansed of toxins that the diseased liver cannot remove.

Non-pharmacological treatment

Removal of risk factors, such as:

• Prevention of gastrointestinal bleeding by stopping the bleeding
• treating infection
• complete exclusion of alcohol
• a low-protein diet
• high oxygen enemas to cleanse the bowel

Pharmacological treatment

The following medications are administered during hospitalization:

• glucose infusion solutions
• lactulose to increase bowel movements to achieve stool elimination 2 times a day
• antibiotic treatment - antibiotics are given to suppress the intestinal flora.
• Amino acids in the form of an infusion solution
• drugs to reduce ammonia

In hepatic coma, flumazenil (anexate) is given directly into a vein to achieve the desired level of consciousness.

One treatment option is liver transplantation, in which the diseased, damaged liver is replaced with a new one. Transplantation is one of the last treatment options that increases survival rates.

In the case of liver failure caused by excessive alcohol consumption, transplantation is only possible with the condition of permanent absence after a minimum of 6 months.

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