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HALOTHANE HEPATITIS — A REPORT OF FIVE CASES
Author(s) -
Paull A.,
Grant A. Kerr
Publication year - 1974
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1974.tb93458.x
Subject(s) - medicine , jaundice , halothane , hepatitis , liver biopsy , liver function tests , necrosis , liver function , toxic hepatitis , incidence (geometry) , gastroenterology , hepatitis a virus , biopsy , anesthesia , surgery , immunology , virus , physics , optics
Five patients with acute hepatocellular jaundice following halothane anaesthesia are described. One patient died in progressive liver failure but the others recovered. No infective or other toxic agent could be incriminated as a cause of the liver damage in any of the five cases. Liver biopsy was performed on every patient, and showed changes varying from moderately severe hepatitis to sub‐massive necrosis in the patient who died. It is suggested that the incidence of halothane hepatitis can be reduced. The agent should not be administered to patients who require several operations within a short period of time, or to those who develop unexplained fever, bilirubinuria, abnormal liver function tests or jaundice after its use.