Author(s)

Vincenzo Morabito, Giancarlo Ferretti, Francesco Pugliese, Simone Novelli, Massimo Rossi, Gilnardo Novelli

Department “P. Stefanini” General Surgery and Organs Transplant, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
Department of Aenesthetic Science and Critical Care Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
Department of Clinical Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
Department of Infectous Disease, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.

Background: Acute hepatitis C virus infection leading to fulminant hepatitis is very rare whereas Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is one of the main causes of chronic liver disease worldwide. The repertoire of substances that accumulate in the blood in fulminant hepatic failure cause neurological abnormalities, aggravate injury to the liver and other organs, suppress the ability of residual hepatocytes to perform organ-specific functions (sick cell syndrome), and inhibit the hepatic regenerative response especially in fulminant hepatitis Virus C which has subacute clinical evolution and takes time to manifest. Liver support technology is evolving as different techniques become available that assist the remaining functional cell mass by providing specific liver functions. Case Presentation: We report a case of Fulminant C virus Hepatitis, successfully treated with albumin dialysis Molecular Adsorbent Recirculating System (MARS). At time of admittance the patient presented: Model End-stage Liver Disease (MELD)-36; Child Turcotte Pugh (CTP)-C(13); Sequential Organ Failure Assestment (SOFA)-12, Glasgow Coma Score (GCS)-11. The patient underwent six sessions of MARS in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in association with standard medical therapy (SMT). The patient survived and was discharged from the hospital in good condition after 40 days without liver transplantation (LT).

Acute Liver Failure; Hepatic Devices; Cytokines; Molecular Adsorbent Recirculating System

Morabito, V. , Ferretti, G. , Pugliese, F. , Novelli, S. , Rossi, M. and Novelli, G. (2012) Molecular adsorbent recirculating system therapy in a rare case of fulminant hepatitis. Journal of Biomedical Science and Engineering, 5, 270-275. doi: 10.4236/jbise.2012.55034.