Acute Liver Failure: Causes and Initial Management See also: Treatment of Acute Liver Failure Acute liver failure, also called fulminant liver failure, has been defined as "a severe liver injury, potentially reversible in nature and with onset of hepatic encephalopathy within 8 weeks of the first symptoms in the absence of pre-existing liver disease." Acute liver failure is relatively uncommon (about 1 in 100,000 per year in developed countries), most often affects previously healthy young adults, and was historically usually fatal. Today, advances in emergency liver transplantation for acute liver failure have improved survival, making early recognition and proper management of acute liver failure more important than ever.