Fetor hepaticus

Fetor hepaticus or foetor hepaticus (see spelling differences), also known as breath of the dead or hepatic foetor, is a condition seen in portal hypertension where portosystemic shunting allows thiols to pass directly into the lungs. It is a late sign in liver failure and is one of the clinical features of hepatic encephalopathy. Other possible causes are the presence of ammonia and ketones in the breath. The breath has a sweet, fecal smell to it.