Prolonged halothane hepatitis. Prompt resolution of severe lesion with corticosteroid therapy.

Previous reports on halothane-induced injury have included patients treated with corticosteroids. Therapy has often been initiated before there has been the opportunity for spontaneous resolution of the process. The patient reported here developed typical acute halothane hepatitis following the second exposure to the anesthetic; she remained ill and failed to show evidence of improvement during a five-week period. Clinical improvement was noted shortly after therapy with prednisone. The laboratory studies returned to normal, and the severe morphological lesion resolved. This experience supports the use of corticosteroids in halothane-induced liver injury in the absence of prompt spontaneous resolution, since therapy appears to decrease the morbidity and hasten resolution of the process.