Cirrhosis of Liver

Cirrhosis of liver is chronic diffuse liver disease. Cirrhosis is a chronic long-term disease of the liver. It should damage to the normal liver tissue that perform important function. This result in collapse, proliferation of connective tissue, nodular regeneration and altered intra hepatic circulation.

Cirrhosis has many causes. It is due to

• Viral hepatitis: Hepatitis B, C and D may lead to cirrhosis of liver. The hepatitis C virus ranks with alcohol as a major cause of chronic liver disease. Infection with this virus causes inflammation as result of this its can damage to the liver that over several decades can lead to cirrhosis.
   

• The main cause is Alcohol. Regular habit of alcohol i.e 80gm of alcohol daily, for 15 years, may lead to cirrhosis. cirrhosis of the liver is synonymous with chronic alcoholism, but in fact, alcoholism is only one of the major causes. Alcoholic cirrhosis usually develops after more than a decade of heavy drinking.
   

• Prolonged cholestasis.

• Cardiac Failure of long duration induces fibrosis around the central vein.
   

• Drugs: Isonex, methotrexate and methyl dopa may cause cirrhosis.
   

• Excessive iron absorption and deposition in the liver leads to cirrhosis. Other features are diabetes, bronze coloured skin and myocarditis.
   

• Excessive deposition of copper leads to cirrhosis.
   

• Sometime deficiency of the enzymes .Galactose from milk is not converted to glucose. Infants on milk diet may have malnutrition, diarrhea, jaundice leads to cirrhosis of liver.
   

• A diet in protein especially in methionine and choline may cause fatty liver and cirrhosis.
   

• Malaria, kala-azar and dysentery cause malnutrition and contribute to cirrhosis.
   

• Aflatoxine contaminated food stuff may produce cirrhosis.
   

• Inherited diseases. Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, hemochromatosis, Wilson disease, galactosemia, and glycogen storage diseases are among the inherited diseases that interfere with the way the liver produces, processes, and stores enzymes, proteins, metals, and other substances the body needs to function properly.
   

• This type of hepatitis appears to be associated with diabetes, protein malnutrition, obesity, coronary artery disease, and treatment with corticosteroid medications.
   

• The cause of cirrhosis is toxic metals such as iron and copper that accumulate in the liver as a result of genetic diseases, and autoimmune liver disease in which the body's immune system attacks the liver.

In many case people suffer from have no symptoms in the early stages of the disease. But sometimes following symptoms are observed when liver function starts to fail and a person may experience the following symptoms are as follows. In some people, these may be the first signs of the disease.

• exhaustion

• fatigue

• loss of appetite

• nausea

• weakness

• weight loss

• abdominal pain

• spider-like blood vessels  that develop on the skin

As the disease progresses, complications may develop and it becomes dangerous to health.

The diseases that lead to cirrhosis do so because they injure and kill liver cells, and the inflammation and repair that is associated with the dying liver cells causes scar tissue to form.

The cause of cirrhosis is not identified.

Here we discuss some basic structure of  liver. The liver is firm, has a gritty feel on cutting and the cut surface shows fibrous bands surrounding nodules of various sizes. Cirrhosis of liver may progress for years before any clinical suspicions is aroused because even  healthy liver tissue is adequate for metabolic functions and liver tissue has a remarkable capacity to regenerate.

When liver doesn't  work properly .The liver cells that do not die multiply in an attempt to replace the cells that have died. This results in clusters of newly-formed liver cells (regenerative nodules) within the scar tissue.

Blocked bile ducts. When the ducts that carry bile out of the liver are blocked, bile backs up and damages liver tissue.
 

Here we are tried to understand some mechanism of our body. These are just some of its many functions in the body.

• The liver may be injured due to following reason as in acute hepatitis, by regular injury over months or years chronic hepatitis, some blockage in the body , or daily alcohol consumption.
   
• First swelling appear on liver because of  inflammation in the liver. As the disease progresses and the amount of scar tissue in the liver increases, as result  the liver will actually shrink.
   
• Any damage or Loss of liver cells decrease the liver's ability to perform its normal functions.
   
• Damage to liver function or Loss of liver function  may affects the body in many ways. Cirrhosis, if severe enough, can cause many different complications as follows.
  
  1. One cause of liver damage is Portal hypertension. In portal hypertension the nodules and scar tissue can compress veins within the liver. As result of this  the blood pressure within the liver to be high, a condition known as portal hypertension.
  
  2. High pressures within blood vessels of the liver occur in 60% of people who have cirrhosis.
  
  3. In united states Cirrhosis is the most common cause of portal hypertension .
  
  4. Due to portal hypertension bleeding appear into the intestines and fluid accumulation throughout the body.
  
  6. The toxins can cause you to behave bizarrely, to become confused, and to lose your ability to take care of yourself or others.
  
  7. People can not  walk and do not exercise regularly.
  
  8. Blood flow in the veins of stomach and esophagus result in Gastrointestinal bleeding.
  
  9. When liver is not properly functioning then the veins to enlarge, forming varicose veins.
  
  10. These veins can tear and bleed, and this bleeding can be life threatening.
  
  11. This usually shows up as vomiting blood.
  
  12. Because liver cannot form the proteins , you are at risk for many infections needed to fight off infection.
  
  13. Due to liver damage large amount of fluid can pool in your abdomen, causing pain, swelling, difficulty breathing, and dehydration.
  
  14. High pressures or portal hypertension force fluid out of blood vessels in your liver, pooling it in your abdomen.
  
  15. Result of this pooling of fluids in your abdomen, your kidneys will try to hold onto more water, because they think your body is dehydrated. So due to this excess fluid collects in your lungs, legs, and abdomen.
  
  16. The progress toward liver failure is slow and gradual.

In united states Cirrhosis is cause due to chronic alcoholism and hepatitis C.Cancer can start within the liver or spread to the liver  from other sites, so it is  fifth most common cancer in the world.Liver cancer is a bad cancer. It has frequently spread beyond the liver by the time it is discovered. The only hope for patients who are at risk for liver cancer is regular surveillance so that the cancers can be found early. There is no cure for cirrhosis.