hepatic encephalopathy A brain disease that is characterized by loss of brain function, the occurrence of confusion, altered level of consciousness, and coma that results when the liver is unable to remove toxins from the blood. UMLS_CUI:C0019151 MESH:D006501 GARD:10452 ICD9CM:572.2 Portal-systemic encephalopathy SNOMEDCT_US_2020_03_01:197332007 DOID:13413 disease_ontology NCI:C79596 ICD10CM:K72 brain disease