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Liver cirrhosis is the severe stage of scaring of liver, which is caused by many forms of liver diseases and conditions, such as hepatitis and chronic alcoholism.
- Cirrhosis occurs in response to damage to your liver
- Each time the liver is injured, it tries to repair itself. In the process, scar tissue forms
- If it is allowed to continue, development of scar tissue can eventually stop the liver function.
- The liver carries out several essential functions; it helps to remove harmful substances from the body. It also purifies the blood and manufactures vital nutrients.
Certain conditions which can cause cirrhosis include:
- Drinking too much of alcohol
- Hepatitis B and C infection
- Fatty liver disease
- Autoimmune hepatitis
- Genetic disease such hemachromatosis or Wilson's disease
- Blockage of bile ducts
- Cystic fibrosis.
- Primary sclerosing cholangitis - hardening and scarring of the bile ducts
- Galactosemia - inability to process sugars in milk
- Schistosomiasis - a parasite commonly found in some developing countries
- Biliary atresia - badly formed bile ducts in babies
- Glycogen storage disease - problems in the storage and energy release vital for cell function
Cirrhosis symptoms may include:
- Fatigue
- Bleeding easily
- Bruising easily
- Itchy skin
- Yellow discoloration in the skin and eyes (jaundice)
- Fluid accumulation in your abdomen (ascites)
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea
- Swelling in your legs
- Weight loss
- Confusion, drowsiness and slurred speech (hepatic encephalopathy)
- Spiderlike blood vessels on your skin
- Redness in the palms of the hands
- Testicular atrophy in men
- Breast enlargement in men
Certain blood test for diagnosis may include:
- Test for liver function- Blood test is done to check for excess bilirubin, as well as for certain enzymes that may indicate liver damage.
- Test for kidney function- Blood test is done to check for creatinine as kidney function may decline in later stages of cirrhosis.
- Blood test for hepatitis B and C- Blood test is done to check for the hepatitis viruses.
- Clotting factor- Blood test are done to check for clotting factors, if the blood can clot or not.
- Magnetic resonance elastography or transient elastography- These noninvasive imaging tests detect hardening or stiffening of the liver
- MRI, CT and ultrasound- They create images of the liver.
- Biopsy- A biopsy of the liver may be done to identify the severity, extent and cause of liver damage.
Treatment of cirrhosis may be issued depending on the severity and stage of cirrhosis, which may include:
- Beta blockers or nitrates (for portal hypertension)
- Quitting drinking (if the cirrhosis is caused by alcohol)
- Banding procedures (used to control bleeding from esophageal varices)
- Intravenous antibiotics (to treat peritonitis that can occur with ascites)
- Hemodialysis (to purify the blood of those in kidney failure)
- Lactulose and a low protein diet (to treat encephalopathy)
- Liver transplantation (as a last option when other methods fail)
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