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Cirrhosis    See images

Overview | Symptoms | Treatment | Prevention

Alternative names:

Liver cirrhosis

Definition:

The result of chronic liver disease where the liver is scarred (fibrosis - nodular regeneration) and no longer functions properly. This causes many complications, including accumulation of fluid in the abdomen (ascites), bleeding disorders (coagulopathy), increased pressure in the blood vessels (portal hypertension), and brain function disorders (hepatic encephalopathy).

Causes and Risks

The causes of cirrhosis are those that cause chronic liver disease, with long-standing alcohol use (See Alcoholic liver disease.) being the most common cause in the US. Other causes of cirrhosis include viral infections (Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C), medications, autoimmune inflammation of the liver, disorders of the drainage system of the liver (the biliary system), and metabolic disorders of iron and copper (hemochromatosis and Wilson's disease).

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