Acute Liver Injury and Failure in Children

Acute liver failure (ALF) in children is uncommon. It can occur at any age and have a variety of presentations. A major challenge is to quickly determine the etiology and initiate appropriate therapy. Even with rapid diagnosis and aggressive medical management, patients may progress to irreversible liver failure and require transplantation. A multidisciplinary approach including early consultation with a transplant specialist can improve outcome. This chapter reviews the current understanding of ALF in children with specific attention to etiology, evaluation and diagnosis, and treatment options.