R. Hausmann et al., DIFFERENTIAL-DIAGNOSIS OF POSTOPERATIVE LIVER-FAILURE IN A 12-YEAR-OLD CHILD, International journal of legal medicine, 109(4), 1996, pp. 210-212
The case of a 12-year-old child who died of fulminant hepatic failure
a few days after tonsillectomy is reported. Histological examination r
evealed large areas of massive centrilobular hepatic necrosis. Hepatot
oxity of postoperatively administered paracetamol in high dosages comb
ined with enflurane exposure is discussed as a cause for the hepatic f
ailure. The fulminant clinical course could have been influenced by an
infection with hepatitis G virus which was detected in liver tissue b
y in situ hybridisation and was probably transmitted via transfusion o
f blood plasma.