This study presents five cases of acute hepatic insufficiency (acute liver failure) in children treated at the Department of Childrens Gastroenterology and Oncology, Gdansk, between 1995 and 1997. We classified cases according to O'Grady et al. (1993), which allowed us to compare different center data results and determine prognosis criteria. In the presented cases, three children were diagnosed with subacute liver failure and two with acute liver failure. One child with acute liver failur died. This confirms other authors observations, demonstrating that the subacute form has better prognosis.

Keywords: Liver failure, acute, complications, encephalopathy