Chronic Hepatic Failure

Continued hepatic injury by genetic or environmental factors results in a state of chronic inflammation, fibrosis, and progressive hepatocyte dysfunction that can progress to cirrhosis and end stage liver disease (ESLD). Cirrhosis is the eighth leading cause of mortality in the United States, while the burden of disease is even greater in regions with endemic viral hepatitis. Common risk factors include a history of hepatitis; alcohol or IV drug abuse; use of certain medications; and other risk factors associated with transmission of viral hepatitis, including tattoos, sexual promiscuity, and incarceration. Although many patients with cirrhosis are asymptomatic and remain undiagnosed, many will eventually develop secondary complications from chronic liver failure, which can be difficult to manage and are associated with significant morbidity, including: portal hypertension, variceal bleeding, coagulopathy, hepatic encephalopathy, and renal failure. In addition, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is estimated to be 30 times more common among patients with cirrhosis, which can be an aggressive malignancy with 5-year overall survival of less than 15%. In this chapter, we provide a comprehensive overview of chronic liver failure, including the epidemiology of cirrhosis, pathophysiology of liver injury, and assessment and management of cirrhosis and associated downstream complications. Finally, we discuss the role of liver transplantation for both ESLD and HCC. This review contains 6 figures, 9 tables, and 53 references. Key Words: chronic liver failure, cirrhosis, coagulopathy, end stage liver disease, hepatic encephalopathy, hepatocellular carcinoma, hepatorenal syndrome, liver transplantation, portal hypertension, varices