Objective To approach the efficacy of urgent liver transplantation for acute liver failure.Methods The clinical data of 22 patients with acute liver failure undergoing urgent liver transplantation in our hospital from January 2003 to January 2009 were retrospectively analyzed.The prognosis,survival rate and complication were summarized.Results Among 22 patients,there were 14 cases of hepatitis B-induced acute liver failure,and 8 cases of drug-induced acute liver failure.The mean waiting time was 2.3 days.Three patients died perioperatively.Retransplantation was done in 1 patient.Complications after urgent liver transplantation included:abdominal cavity hemorrhage (2 cases),biliary complications (2 cases).There were no vascular complications.Renal dysfunction of different degrees occurred in all patients.Psychiatric symptom occurred in 17 cases,epilepsy in 1 patient,pulmonary infection in 11 patients,and acute cell rejection in 3 patients.The 1-,2-and 3-year recipient survival rate was 81.8 ％,81.8 ％,81.8 ％,respectively,and the 1-,2- and 3-year graft survival rate was 81.8 ％, 77.3 ％, 77.3 ％, respectively.ConclusionUrgent liver transplantation has a good efficacy for acute liver failure.Reasonable preoperative evaluation,length of waiting for graft,and effective treatment of various kinds of complications are the key point to improve the prognosis of patients with acute liver failure undergoing urgent liver transplantation.