Liver Transplantation for Acute Liver Failure During Pregnancy: Case Report and Literature Review

• Published in: Transplantation proceedings 2023-10, Vol.55 (8), p.1951-1955
• Main Authors: Shen, Yousu, Shi, Xiling, Zhang, Mingsheng, Xu, Zhidan, Yin, Junxiang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0041-1345; 1873-2623
• DOI: 10.1016/j.transproceed.2023.07.019

Liver failure during pregnancy is a rare and highly fatal condition frequently resulting from the patient's pre-existing chronic liver disease. There is no established protocol for managing this condition, and physicians tend to adopt a conservative approach due to concerns about the impact of liver transplantation on fetal development. However, conservative treatment may exacerbate the condition, increasing the risk of fetal and miscarriage deaths. In this study, we present a case of acute-on-chronic liver failure resulting from chronic hepatitis during the 19th week of gestation. Despite undergoing conservative treatment, the fetus tragically died, but the patient achieved an excellent clinical outcome after emergency liver transplantation. We also conducted a systematic review of the literature on liver transplantation during pregnancy from the last decade, examining the causes of liver failure and transplantation during pregnancy. Our research complied with the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki and the Istanbul Declaration.