Cirrhosis of the liver
Liver cirrhosis is the result of an increase in the connective tissue between the liver cells. In addition, the liver cells are irreparably damaged, they die and the normal organ structure of the liver is destroyed. Liver cirrhosis can be triggered by any disease or process that damages the liver.
When the liver is damaged, connective tissue cells are stimulated to produce to repair the damage. However, these repair processes are uncoordinated, creating connective tissue knots and destroying the liver.Cirrhosis of the liver is the final stage of many liver diseases, whether fatty liver, bile stasis or inflammation of the liver. The liver does not always have to be enlarged in cirrhosis of the liver; in the final stage, the liver shrinks. Cirrhosis of the liver significantly increases the risk of liver cancer. You can find more information on this topic at The Cirrhosis of the Liver.
The prognosis
The prognosis for fatty liver is good if the patient makes a change in lifestyle after the diagnosis. If he does not do so, all the consequences described above can occur. The prognosis for hepatitis A or E is also good, in most cases they heal on their own within a few weeks.
The prognosis for hepatitis B is good at a young age, but worsens with age. The prognosis for hepatitis C is moderate, often leading to chronic liver disease with liver cirrhosis. Autoimmune inflammation of the liver leads to liver cirrhosis in 40% of cases even under therapy. In the stage of liver cirrhosis, the prognosis depends on liver function. If liver function has already decreased significantly (Child C), the prognosis is poor.
Enlarged liver and spleen – What could be behind it?
The enlargement of the liver is called hepatomegaly, the enlargement of the spleen splenomegaly, together they form the medical term hepatosplenomegaly. The enlargement of these two organs can have various causes. Possible are heart diseases that cause blood congestion in the liver, which is so pronounced that the blood backs up into the spleen.
Diseases of the liver can also lead to an enlargement of the spleen: Cirrhosis of the liver or the Budd-Chiari syndrome, for example, leads to increased pressure in the venous vessels of the liver, causing blood to back up into the spleen. Lymphomas, tumors of the lymphatic tissue, blood diseases (e.g. polycythaemia vera) and storage diseases (e.g. amyloidosis) can also lead to an enlarged liver and spleen.
Various infectious diseases as well: The Ebstein-Barr virus is common in Germany, as is the cytomegalovirus. Less frequent infections with the symptom of hepatosplenomegaly are malaria, brucellosis, schistosomiasis and leishmaniasis. These diseases are usually “brought along” from a stay abroad.
