End Stage Liver Disease

End stage liver disease leads to the permanent failure of the liver and for which the patient requires a transplant. The liver is the largest organ in the body and is responsible for storing energy in the form of sugar, storing vitamins, iron and other minerals, making proteins, including blood clotting factors, to keep the body healthy and help it growing, processing worn out red blood cells and making bile that is needed for food digestion. Through viruses, some medication and alcohol abuse the liver can become damaged. In this article, we'll examine some of the causes of liver disease and how it is treated.

Alcohol is still the most common cause of chronic or end stage liver disease. The incidence of cirrhosis among alcoholics is approximately 10-30%. Fatty liver is the most frequent liver abnormality found in alcoholics and it is usually detected by an ultrasound. Liver biopsy is required to make a definitive diagnosis. When a fatty liver is not associated with alcoholic hepatitis, then the prognosis is excellent and a change in lifestyle will be the key to treatment. Complete abstinence from alcohol and a nutritious diet will lead to disappearance of the fat over a four to six week period. During this time, the patient should attend a support group for alcoholics, as well as receive medical attention. Many doctors agree that this greatly increases the chance of recovery.

Hepatitis is another common cause of liver damage. Most patients infected with hepatitis B and some with hepatitis C recover completely with no further liver damage. However, some will develop chronic hepatitis leading to cirrhosis and the end stage of liver disease. This is more common with hepatitis C. A liver transplant under these circumstances is difficult to manage because the new liver almost always becomes infected with these viruses. Ongoing treatment is usually necessary to keep the new liver healthy. Most cancers of the liver develop in other parts of the body and spread to the liver. Occasionally, cancer develops first in the liver. This is called primary cancer or hepatoma. When a primary liver cancer is identified early, a liver transplant will be performed. Primary cancer of the liver has the lowest long-term survival at about 50%-60%. However, long- term survival is less common in this case than with transplants for other conditions.

Sometimes the only hope for survival when a patient reaches the end stage of liver disease is a liver transplant. This is a very complicated process with no guarantees. There are really three operations involved. The first is the removal of the liver from the donor, the second is the removal of the diseased liver from the patient, and the third is the operation to insert and connect the new liver. The new liver is attached to the various blood vessels and bile ducts. Long-term treatment against rejection is always necessary.

Once a patient reaches end stage liver disease, they are not out of options. Lifestyle changes, medication and a liver transplant can still extend their life. It's important to speak with your doctor and decide together what the best treatment option is for you. Most importantly, don't give up and lean on your family and friends for support. There is still hope for an active life.

More about end stage liver disease

Hepatitis C Info

There is no vaccine currently available to protect against hepatitis C, so it is up to carriers to try to stop the spread of the disease. Getting accurate hepatitis C info also helps the general public protect itself and reduce transmission.