The condition of organ dysfunction occurs when an organ deviates from the function it is intended to perform. An organ dysfunction condition becomes organ failure when the normal homeostasis can be maintained only with the intervention of external clinical help. There are many symptoms of major organ failures as well as multiple organ dysfunction syndrome.
Symptoms of Major Organ Failures
| Liver Failure | Symptoms |
|---|---|
| Chronic Liver Failure (Cirrhosis) |
Fatigue Yellowing of the skin Excessive weakness Easy bruising A great loss of appetite Edema and ascites – the retention has a tendency to accumulate beneath the tissues of the legs and ankles Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) – infection takes place in the ascites (abdominal cavity) and abdomen Esophageal varices bleeding Liver cancer |
| Acute Liver Failure |
Yellowing of eyeballs and skin Nausea Constant pain in upper abdomen Sleepiness Weakening of concentration power Bleeding disorders – the liver does not produce sufficient levels of clotting ingredients; thus the body has difficulty in controlling bleeding Cerebral edema Kidney failure Infections – there is an increased risk of infection in the patient’s brain and urinary and respiratory tracts |
| Kidney Failure | Symptoms |
|---|---|
| Chronic Kidney Failure |
Nausea Fatigue and loss of appetite Swelling of the ankles and feet High blood pressure Pain in chest Anemia Fluid retention, which leads to swelling in legs and arms, accompanied by high blood pressure Decreased sexual appetite Complications in pregnancy and risk to the fetus Weakness in bones Decrease in immunity |
| Acute Kidney Failure |
Fatigue and drowsiness Pain in chest A decline in the urine output Fluid retention leading to swelling in the ankles, feet, and legs Excessive pain in the chest because of the inflammation of the lining covering the heart A shortness of breath due to the fluid build-up in the chest Weakness in muscles due to the bodily fluids imbalance A risk of death is also present |
| Lung Failure | Symptoms |
|---|---|
| Obstruction to the air path Weakness in muscles Lung diseases such as pneumonia are a common side effect that accompanies lung failure |
| Heart Failure | Symptoms |
|---|---|
| Shortness of breath Fatigue Loss of appetite Increased heart rate |
| Brain Failure | Symptoms |
|---|---|
| Chronic Brain Failure (Alzheimer's Dementia) |
Loss of memory – forget what they learned a few minutes before and is no longer to accurately relate information or details about events Trouble driving, working, or completing any other routine task A loss of dates, time, and season takes place Unable to process events currently taking place Experience difficulty participating in conversation Simply stop in the middle of a thought |
| Acute Brain Failure (Delirium) |
Consciousness gets disturbed Reduction in the ability to focus Problems related to memory, perception, and orientation takes place Stress increases |
Symptoms of Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome
There are two ways of describing organ dysfunction in a critically ill patient:
(1) The clinical intervention that was organized to maintain the failing organ system.
(2) The acute physiologic impairment that caused a need for support.
More complex systems have recently been developed that focus on quantifying the organ dysfunction on a numerical scale, rather than mechanical quantity. Though systems vary, each focuses on the same six organ systems to characterize MODS: cardiovascular, hepatic, respiratory, renal, hematologic, and neurologic. There are minor variables in the various systems, including selected parameters as well as weighting and timing placed on each selected variable.
Apart from the above mentioned organ failures, there are certain other failures which lead to MODS.
Neurologic Failure
Neurologic failure takes place due to a great reduction in the Glasgow Coma Score, which is reflected by an alteration in the level of consciousness
Hematologic Failure
The hematologic failure can take place due to Leucocytosis – a response to acute stress or a mild anaemia which results from the suppression of bone marrow.
Immunologic Failure
Immunologic failure occurs due to the abnormalities which take place in both specific and non-specific immune functions within the infected person’s body. It can also alter the production of antibodies.
Metabolic Failure
The metabolic failures and endocrine abnormalities are also evident during the MODS. The relative resistance of insulin is readily detected and often discovered.