A Pregnant Woman with Jaundice in the Intensive Care Unit

Journal Title: Turkish Journal of Intensive Care - Year 2020, Vol 18, Issue 4

Abstract

Acute fatty liver of pregnancy (AFLP) is a life-threatening disorder characterized by maternal liver failure, and it occurs in the third trimester of pregnancy or postpartum period. The resultant effects include coagulopathy, electrolyte abnormalities, and the multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS), which may require liver transplantation. Therefore, pregnant women having MODS should be managed in an intensive care unit (ICU) with multidisciplinary inputs to facilitate the appropriate supportive care. We present a successful case report of a pregnant women admitted to the ICU with jaundice and MODS without the need for liver transplantation and organ support therapies. A 20-year-old patient in her first pregnancy at 31 weeks gestation who presented with nausea, vomiting, and jaundice was admitted to our hospital. She was referred from a rural medical center (a center 608 kilometers away) to the ICU due to the possible diagnosis of acute liver failure requiring liver transplantation. Acute physiology and chronic health assessment score was 12, sepsis related organ failure score was 8, and Glasgow coma scale was 15 on ICU admission. AFLP was considered in the patient and an emergency delivery was performed by caesarean section. She recovered with intensive care support after pregnancy delivery without the need for liver transplantation. The patient was discharged from the ICU and hospital after 6 and 10 days, respectively. AFLP should be suspected in the differential diagnosis of a pregnant woman with jaundice and hyperbilirubinemia who is admitted to the ICU in the third trimester of pregnancy or postpartum period. Intensivist should not delay in the diagnosis of AFLP due to its morbid complications and high mortality. Early diagnosis, prompt pregnancy delivery, and intensive care support in the peripartum and postpartum periods may improve maternal and fetal outcomes.

Authors and Affiliations

Fatma İrem Yeşiler, Helin Şahintürk, Emre Günakan, Ender Gedik, Pınar Zeyneloğlu

Keywords

Related Articles

The Parameters Affecting the Outcome in Drowning Cases in Intensive Care Unit: Eight Years of Retrospective Patient Data

Objective: Drowning is a common and important cause of accidental deaths. Complications and mortality rates are high in patients requiring intensive care unit (ICU) support. The aim of our study was to determine the clin...

Retrospective Evaluation of Four-Year Acute Intoxication Cases Followed-up in Intensive Care Unit

Objective: Acute intoxication is a life-threatining clinical issue. Therefore, patients need follow-up in the intensive care unit (ICU). In this study, we aimed to evaluate the incidence, demographic characteristics, int...

Post-operative Respiratory Distress Due to Laryngeal Granuloma and Subglottic Stenosis in a Patient Undergoing Open Heart Surgery

The cause of impairment in respiratory functions after open heart surgery is multifactorial. A 67-year-old female patient admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) was intubated after mitral valve replacement and tricusp...

Examination of a Newborn with Necrotizing Enterocolitis According to Neuman Systems Model

Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC) is one of the most common problems with gastrointestinal system in newborns. The aim of the study was to evaluate the nursing care that should be applied in newborns diagnosed with NEC wi...

Association of Charlson Comorbidity and Pneumonia Severity Indices with Mortality in Patients with Coronavirus Disease-2019 in the Intensive Care Unit

Objective: Risk factors affecting mortality in the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, which emerged in Wuhan, China and affected the whole world, are yet to be clearly determined. Assessment of Charlson comorb...

Download PDF file
  • EP ID EP691620
  • DOI 10.4274/tybd.galenos.2020.07379
  • Views 135
  • Downloads 0

How To Cite

Fatma İrem Yeşiler, Helin Şahintürk, Emre Günakan, Ender Gedik, Pınar Zeyneloğlu (2020). A Pregnant Woman with Jaundice in the Intensive Care Unit. Turkish Journal of Intensive Care, 18(4), -. https://europub.co.uk/articles/-A-691620