hepatic encephalopathy case

 اتى مريض مع مرافقيه وهو بحالة ماقبل الاغماء 

precoma , the doctor ask him about his name , his answer slurred or monotonous 

يسأله الطبيب عن اسمه فيجيب ببطئ ويتكلم كلام غير مفهوم 

doctor ask him , where when who , his answer wrong 

يسأله الطبيب في اي مكان انت وهل الان عصر ام مغرب ويسأله عن المرافقين فلايجيب او يجيب بشكل خاطئ

disorientation for time and place and person 

وكذلك يذكر الطبيب خلال اسألته له كان يجيب يتصرف تصرفات غريبه 

childish attitude , phasic excitation and depression 

وهنا يشك الطبيب بأحدى الحالتين 

*what are the differential diagnosis of disturbed level of consciousness ?

1-hepatic encephalopathy 

2- hypoglycemia 

and also

3-hypoxia

4-delirium tremens(alcohol withdrawal)

5-drunkenness

6-subdural hematoma 

7-psychatric disorder 

3h2dsp


if .....

subdural hematoma = hx of head trauma 

delirium tremens = pt daily alcohol drinker with sudden withdrawal

drunkenness = pt with alcohol كان في سهره سكر 

hypoxia = oximeter show the result 

hypoglycemia = tachycardia , sweating 

الاهم يجب ان نفرق بين 

hypoglycemia and hepatic encephalopathy 

بعد ان قمنا بوضع احتمالات لاختلال الوعي 

يبدأ الطبيب بالفحص ليشم رائحة 

fetor hepaticus 

هنا يشك الطبيب بمرض 

hepatic encephalopathy , doctor ask the relative 

هل مريضكم عنده مشاكل في الكبد 

فيجيبون بنعم وان المريض لديه تليف بالكبد منذ عدة سنوات 

on history , the patient have liver cirrhosis many years ago 

هنا يشك الطبيب بنسبة 90% ان الخلل في الكبد 

فيتأكد اكثر بنسبة 100% ويقوم بفحص 

asterixis (flapping tremor ) = positive 

(it is lapse in posture due to impaired inflow of joint and other afferent information to the brain stem reticular formation)

also , he searching for other hepatic cell failure sign 

1-fever 2- jaundice 3-ascites 4-palmar erythema , spider naevi 5-gynecomastia 6-cyanosis and clubbing


liver failure signs not necessarily all present , because hepatic encephalopathy not always due to hepatic cell failure , the cause may be acute fulminant hepatitis , or spontaneous shunting in patient with portal hypertension = chronic portosystemic encephalopathy 

so , the diagnosis now hepatic encephalopathy , if doubt 

1-EEG : diffuse slow triphasic waves 2-ammonia level : increase but not specific or sensitive 


there are many stages to hepatic encephalopathy , the last one is the coma , other one respond to pain stimuli , but late no response 

there are two test can be done to reveal early stage of hepatic encephalopathy :

1-constructional apraxia is an early sign (patient unable to draw five pointed star)

2-reitan number connection test (patient unable to join numbers)


before management , we must know the precipitating factor to hepatic encephalopathy ?

1-git bleeding 2-increase protein intake 3-old blood transfusion 4-aspiration of ascites 5-diuretics like lasix 6-others : drug-morphine , sbp-spontaneous bacterial peritonitis , surgery-porto-systemic shunt

the most common is git bleeding so in management :

1- hospitalization in ICU , endoscope should be done to localize the site of bleeding 

2-diet -restrict protein intake , increase carbohydrate intake lead to decrease protein breakdown as source of eneregy , fats in small amount which lead to mild diarrhea which is good to wash intestine , excess k intake with found in fruit juice 

3-enema/4h : wash the colon 

4-antibiotics :to prevent the action of intestinal bacteria on protein 

5-lactulose : 30-120 ml 3 times daily oral or rectal , osmotic diarrhea wash the colon and production of lactic acid which promote conversion of luminal ammonia NH3 to ammonium NH4 

6-sedative should avoided , if necessary , small dose of diazepam 

7- morphine is absolutely contraindicated 

*what is the management of hepatic encephalopathy precipitated by git bleeding ?

1-addmission to ICU , ednoscopy 

2-enema /4h  to wash colon 

3-antibiotics(neomycin-rifaximin) to prevent action of intestinal bacterial that convert protein 

4-lactulose 30-120 ml 3 times daily 

*what is the diet for hepatic encephalopathy or liver failure patient ?

 protein restriction , high carbohydrate , small amount of fat , excess potassium 

*what is the rule of lactulose in hepatic encephalopathy ?

lactulose convert to lactic acid-acetic acid in intestine , this will turn the intestine to acidic environment , and there the ammonia NH3 (which is the cause of encephalopathy due to neurotoxic effect) will convert to ammonium NH4and this will reduce the amount of ammonia that reach the brain  

what are the rule of antibiotics in hepatic encephalopathy(neomycin-rifaximin) ? 

it is not confirmed rule , but the mechanism is killing the bacterial in the intestine which convert protein to ammonia 

what is the cause of hepatic encephalopathy in patient with liver git bleeding ?

or what is the relation between hepatic encephalopathy and git bleeding ? 

in this case above , we consumed that our patient have git bleeding , like massive variceal bleeding from esophagus , then he develop DLOC and coma , so the relation between git bleeding and hepatic encephalopathy is the patient swallow large amount of blood , rbc converted to hemoglobin in intestine , and hemoglobin is protein , this protein digested and its final product is ammonia which lead to encephalopathy , also urea increased in those patient because ammonia converted to urea in liver 

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