Fulminant Hepatitis: Definitions, Causes and Management

Fulminant hepatitis (FH) is a rare and devastating syndrome caused by a variety of hepatic insults. It characterized by severe metabolic derangements, neurologic complications and ultimately, multiorgan failure. Liver transplantation is the gold standard therapy for patients with irreversi-ble FH. The major areas of current research in this field include the development of: hepatic sup-port devices, strategies to accelerate hepatic regeneration and criteria for accurate prognostic classification of patients. This review aims to focus on the definitions, aetiologies and management strategies for FH