Acute liver failure with thyrotoxicosis treated with liver transplantation.

OBJECTIVE

We describe a young woman with previously undiagnosed thyrotoxicosis who presented with acute liver failure (ALF).

METHODS

We present a case report and review the relevant literature.

RESULTS

An extensive evaluation excluded possible causes of ALF other than thyrotoxicosis. The management of thyrotoxicosis posed several unique challenges in the setting of ALF, particularly because we did not want to use potentially hepatotoxic thionamides. The patient was treated with prednisone and propranolol and was started on potassium iodide when she was listed for liver transplantation. She underwent an uncomplicated liver transplant and subsequent thyroidectomy and is doing well.

CONCLUSION

This well-characterized case describes thyrotoxicosis as a possible cause of ALF after thoroughly excluding other possible causes and illustrates the challenges of simultaneously managing both disorders. To our knowledge, this is the first report of ALF possibly resulting from untreated thyrotoxicosis that was successfully treated with liver transplantation.