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Liver Failure Medical Negligence Claims
Thousands of clinical compensation claims are initiated every year in the United Kingdom by medical negligence solicitors on behalf of people from all walks of life. A multitude of operations and procedures are executed successfully however a small percentage do go wrong, laying the grounds for medical negligence solicitors to take legal action in order to claim compensation. Both legal aid and the no win no fee scheme are available to pursue medical negligence compensation claims.
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Acute liver failure is a medical emergency. It occurs when the liver quickly fails to perform its normal function. Acute liver failure is different from chronic liver failure in that it happens rapidly over just a few days. It can lead to many complications including bleeding difficulties and excessive pressure on the brain. Acute liver failure is also called "fulminant hepatic failure" and can be fatal. Hospitalization is a necessity and treatment is directed at getting rid of the causative factor and supporting the liver until it heals. If it does not heal, the individual needs an imminent liver transplant in order to survive.
The major symptoms and signs of acute liver failure include jaundice (yellowing of the eyes and skin), right upper quadrant abdominal tenderness, nausea and vomiting, problems with concentration, malaise, muscle tremors and fatigue. In severe cases, there can be hepatic coma.
There are many causes of acute liver failure. These include the taking of some prescription antibiotics, including anticonvulsants, antibiotics, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications. An acetaminophen overdose, accidentally or in a suicide attempt, can damage the liver irreparably. Certain herbal supplements have been linked to liver failure, including ephedra, kava, pennyroyal and skullcap. Hepatitis of many types including hepatitis A, hepatitis B and hepatitis E can damage the liver and can cause failure of the liver. Even other viruses, such as cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex virus and Epstein Barr virus can cause acute hepatic failure. Certain toxins, such as those found in poisonous wild mushrooms can damage the liver and cause acute hepatic failure.
Vascular disease can block the vessels of the liver, causing liver damage. Metabolic diseases, such as Wilson's disease, Reye's syndrome or fatty liver of pregnancy can cause liver failure. Autoimmune disease, such as autoimmune hepatitis, can cause the immune syndrome to fight the liver cells, leading to acute liver failure. Cancer that spreads to the liver or that begins in the liver can result in the development of acute liver failure. Unfortunately, there are cases of acute liver failure that have no known cause.
There are many complications of acute liver failure, some of which can be deadly. For example, there can be a swelling of the brain caused by liver damage that can lead to death due to herniation of the brain into the base of the brain. This is almost universally fatal. Bleeding can occur from a lack of clotting factors so uncontrollable bleeding results. Secondary infections are likely and the kidneys, intimately linked to the liver, can fail as well.
Liver failure is determined by blood tests showing elevation of liver enzymes and an elevated prothrombin time, which tells whether or not the blood can clot or not. In acute liver failure, the blood will not clot properly because there are few clotting factors made by the damaged liver. A liver biopsy may be performed using an ultrasound and a fine needle. Another way to get a biopsy is to do a transjugular biopsy in which a catheter is placed into the jugular vein and is passed into a vein exiting the liver. A sample is then taken of the liver tissue.
Treatment of acute liver failure is always done in an intensive care unit because the patient is very sick. Medications to reverse the poisoning effects of poisons like Tylenol are given. Medications are used in order to reduce the pressure on the brain. This includes mannitol, which is used in the reduction of brain pressure. Infections are treated if they are found in the bloodstream. Doctors may need to treat or prevent severe bleeding by giving clotting factors to replace those used up by the body. Blood transfusions might need to be given. In severe cases, a liver transplant is performed. A living donor transplant can be given by a matching relative. In such cases, only a portion of the living donor's liver is given to the individual receiving the liver.