The potential of molecular biological techniques in research on hepatic encephalopathy

  • R. F. Butterworth
Chapter

Abstract

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a serious neuropsychiatric complication of both acute and chronic liver failure. In chronic liver failure HE is also known as portal-systemic encephalopathy. Central nervous system signs of HE complicating chronic liver disease include personality changes, sleep disorders, asterixis and motor incoordination, superimposed on a spectrum of deficits of cognitive function, ranging from the inability to perform simple mental tasks to stupor and coma. Acute liver failure results in a rapid evolution of these signs and, additionally, is often associated with brain edema which, when severe, leads to intracranial hypertension and death due to brain herniation. In cirrhotic patients, HE is frequently precipitated by a gastrointestinal bleed, a sedative or an oral protein load. HE is a common complication of transjugular intrahepatic portal-systemic stent (TIPSS) placement, a procedure which is effective in the treatment of the complications of portal hypertension such as gastrointestinal bleeding and refractory ascites.

Keywords

Hepatic Encephalopathy Cirrhotic Patient Acute Liver Failure Minimal Hepatic Encephalopathy Hepatic Coma 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2003

Authors and Affiliations

  • R. F. Butterworth
    • 1
  1. 1.Neuroscience Research Unit, CHUM (Hôpital Saint-Luc)University of MontrealMontrealCanada

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