Cirrhosis Research Paper

The liver is the largest organ in the body. It has many important and vital functions. Therefore, it must be healthy in order for someone to survive. A liver detoxifies the substances that are harmful in the body, makes sure the blood is purified and produces nutrients that are very important. When the liver is not able to function properly and starts to deteriorate this is known as a condition called Cirrhosis. The healthy liver tissue is replaced with scar tissue and the blood flow throughout the liver becomes blocked. When the healthy tissue is replaced with scar tissue, the liver will shrink. The liver can repair itself and function properly if the Cirrhosis is mild, but if the Cirrhosis slowly develops over the years, the liver

will stop functioning. There are many causes for Cirrhosis. The main ones are alcohol, hepatitis B and C, and fatty liver disease. (Nordqvist,Christian )
There are usually not any symptoms of Cirrhosis in the early stages, but your liver will swell.

After a matter of time you will begin to notice some symptoms. The most common symptoms are: weakness, fatigue, loss of appetite, weight loss, yellowing of the skin, itchy skin, ascites, bleeding, bruising, and mental health changes. (Kenny, Tim ) Cirrhosis can also cause complications to other areas of the body. Ascites is fluid that is present on the inside cavity of the abdomen. Cirrhosis can cause the fluid to build up between the layers of the abdomen and make it become enlarged. Portal Hypertension is also caused by having cirrhosis. The blood flow slows down in the major blood vessel and creates pressure on the inside of the vein. The blood then returns to the heart by different blood vessels. When this happens, the increased blood flowing through these vessels become swollen causing varices. The varices can be easily broken because of the high blood pressure flow and could ultimately cause death. Also, when the liver is unable to remove toxins from the blood, the loss of brain function can occur. This is called Hepatic Encephalopathy. This occurs when the liver does not detoxify and breakdown body substances and the toxins build up in the bloodstream. Sedatives and narcotics can make Encephalopathy worse, so liver disease patients are not allowed to take these medicines. (Liver Anatomy

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Cirrhosis will get worse if not treated.

Scarring is not reversible once the damage has already happened. Treating the underlying causes may stop or slow down Cirrhosis progression. Treatments may include medication, lifestyle change to help with weight loss, or an alcohol program, if alcohol related. Hypertension that is caused by Cirrhosis can be treated by a procedure called Transjuglar Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt. A fluoroscopy procedure is used to place a small stent to open the blood flow throughout the liver. If Cirrhosis is severe, surgery may be required to perform a liver transplant. The damaged liver will be replaced with a healthy one from a donor. (Cirrhosis of the Liver

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Diagnostic radiology is an important part of finding and treating Cirrhosis of the liver, in addition to blood tests and biopsies. If Cirrhosis is suspected, several imaging tests can be completed by your doctor. One of the imaging tests that could be used is the Abdominal ultrasound imaging that uses sound waves to create images of the liver, including the inside of the pelvis and/or abdomen. Another type of imaging used is the Abdominal Computed Tomography (CT) scan and it produces several images of the liver using special x-ray equipment with computers. It can also determine how serious the Cirrhosis is. Also, a body Magnetic Resonance Imagery (MRI) could detect liver problems by using radio frequency pulses, a powerful magnetic field and computers to create images of the liver that are very detailed. The damage is able to be assessed by the different liver diseases. In addition, a Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) can be used if needed. It is a special MRI that creates detailed images of the ducts for the liver and gallbladder. This MRI helps to assess any abnormalities. (Cirrhosis of the Liver )