Six enzyme defects of the urea cycle have been described. Ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency is the most frequent of these diseases. The cumulative frequency is 1:8000. Most patients become symptomatic in childhood, but onset of symptoms may occur later in childhood or even adulthood. The patients present with recurrent episodes of an unspecific acute encephalopathy, seizures and clouding of consciousness to a variable degree. Focal neurological signs such as hemiparesis, aphasia or ataxia may also occur. These episodes may be triggered by infection, protein overload or drugs. Diagnostic are increased blood ammonia levels. Characteristic patterns of plasma amino acids and the determination of orotic acid in the urine mostly discriminate the individual disorders. Further diagnostic steps include the allopurinol challenge test, liver or skin biopsy for measurement of enzyme activity and molecular genetic studies. Treatment requires restriction of protein intake, supplementation of arginine and activation of alternative pathways of nitrogen excretion with benzoate or phenylbutyrate. Untreated, the acute episode may be lethal. Long-term treatment improves the clinical outcome considerably. Urea cycle defects should be included in the differential diagnosis of any encephalopathy or coma of unclear origin, and blood ammonia should be determined early in the evaluation of such patients.