Liver Cirrhosis Treatmentwith Dr. Monga's

What is Cirrhosis of Liver?

Cirrhosis of the liver is a condition where healthy liver tissue is replaced by scar tissue, leading to impaired liver function. It is caused by chronic liver diseases such as hepatitis, alcohol abuse, or fatty liver disease.

The word "Cirrhosis" comes from the Greek word "kirrhos" (κιρρός), meaning "tawny" or "yellowish", referring to the yellowish appearance of a damaged liver. The term was first used in a medical context by René Laennec, a French physician, in 1826 to describe the scarring and discoloration of the liver caused by chronic disease.

Stages of cirrhosis

Cirrhosis develops in four stages, gradually affecting liver function.

Stage 1 (Compensated Cirrhosis): In this early stage, the liver has some damage, but it still works properly, and you may not notice any symptoms.

Stage 2: As liver scarring increases, blood pressure in the liver rises (portal hypertension), which can cause tiredness, digestion problems, or mild discomfort.

Stage 3 (Decompensated Cirrhosis): The damage becomes serious, leading to visible symptoms like yellow skin (jaundice), swelling in the belly (ascites), and even internal bleeding. This stage requires urgent medical care.

Stage 4 (End-Stage Cirrhosis): The liver stops working, and life-threatening complications occur. At this point, a liver transplant may be the only treatment option to survive.

Causes cirrhosis of the liver

Cirrhosis is a gradual scarring process that's triggered by chronic inflammation in your liver. Any chronic liver disease that causes chronic hepatitis can lead to cirrhosis. The most common causes include:

Alcohol-induced hepatitis. This is chronic liver damage from chronic heavy alcohol use. Alcohol may be the most well-known cause of liver cirrhosis, but nonalcoholic causes are also common.

Non-alcohol-related steatohepatitis. This is chronic damage from excess fat storage in your liver. It's related to metabolic factors like high blood lipids, blood sugar and blood pressure.

Chronic hepatitis C infection. Hepatitis C is a viral infection that becomes chronic in most people. It’s now curable with antivirals, but many people don’t realize they have it.

Chronic hepatitis B infection. Hepatitis B is a viral infection that may become chronic in a minority of people. If it does, you’ll have it for life. It’s treatable, but not curable.