Acute fatty liver of pregnancy: A case report.

Seo, Min A; Kim, Chang Woon; Kwon, Min Jung; Ji, Byung Ju; Park, Kyung Do

doi:2010.53.5.428

Obstet Gynecol Sci > Volume 53(5); 2010 > Article

Case Report

Korean Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology 2010;53(5):428-433.
Published online: May 1, 2010
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5468/kjog.2010.53.5.428

Acute fatty liver of pregnancy: A case report.

Min A Seo, Chang Woon Kim, Min Jung Kwon, Byung Ju Ji, Kyung Do Park

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Masan Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Masan, Korea. ansell6ban@hanmail.net

Abstract

Acute fatty liver of pregnancy are relatively rare but extremely dangerous, because they may quickly develop into a fulminant disease and become a serious life-threatening disorder for mother and fetus in the third trimester. Therefore, early diagnosis, prompt delivery and intensive supportive care the cornerstones in the management of acute fatty liver of pregnancy. Clinical findings in acute fatty liver of pregnancy vary because it may occur with varying degrees of clinical severity and in conjunction with other third trimester symptoms, making early diagnosis difficult. However, careful history and physical examination, in conjunction with compatible laboratory and imaging results, are often sufficient to make the diagnosis, and liver biopsy is rarely indicated. We have experienced a case of acute fatty liver of pregnancy presenting as early hepatic encephalopathy, renal failure which developed during the third trimester. We diagnosed acute fatty liver of pregnancy based on clinical presentation and laboratory abnormalities. Despite of prompt delivery and adequate supportive care management, this severe complication of pregnancy has had an adverse outcome for mother.

Keywords: Acute fatty liver; Early diagnosis; Prompt delivery