Massive Liver Cell Necrosis

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Abstract
Massive hepatic necrosis ("acute yellow atrophy") is an uncommon but usually fatal disease of often uncertain etiology. In this paper we are presenting a ten and one-half year retrospective study designed to uncover clues as to pathogenesis and information on the clinical course. The disease entity we considered is thought to be frequently the result of hepatitis, presumably of viral origin, although certain drugs, such as cinchophen,1 zoxazolamine,2 and iproniazid 3,4 are believed occasionally to produce an indistinguishable lesion. In the last six years anesthesia with halothane has been thought to cause a similar clinical syndrome and pathologic lesion.5-10 New drugs have been marketed at an accelerating rate. At least a few of these are likely to have as yet undiscovered hepatotoxic properties that could result in fatal liver cell necrosis. In this study any drug administered was considered as the possible cause of the hepatic necrosis