Signs of a liver rupture

Signs of a liver rupture usually appear very quickly after a triggering event that has led to the organ injury, such as an accident. Typical symptoms include pain in the upper abdomen and abdominal cramps. In the case of pronounced internal bleeding, a drop in blood pressure can also occur, leading to circulatory problems, even fainting and even cardiac arrest.

After a liver rupture, in which the capsule of the organ has also been destroyed, the leakage of bile into the abdominal cavity can lead to peritonitis. Signs of this are severe pain throughout the entire abdominal cavity and a tight abdominal wall as hard as a board. Other possible accompanying signs of a liver rupture are dizziness, cold sweat, palpitations and anxiety.

However, these are unspecific complaints which can also have other causes (for example a heart attack). Whether a liver rupture is present or the complaints have another cause can only be determined by a medical diagnosis. These include a physical examination and an ultrasound of the abdomen.

Causes

In the vast majority of cases, patients with a liver laceration report a previous trauma in the form of an accident or sports injury. The most common cause is blunt abdominal trauma caused by a blow or kick to the right upper abdomen. This is more common in some sports such as martial arts or equestrian sports.

Also unfavorable falls from great heights or onto hard objects can be the cause of a liver laceration. Furthermore, traffic accidents are a frequent cause of such abdominal trauma. Less common than blunt abdominal injuries are acute traumas such as knife wounds or an injury caused by broken ribs.

Very rarely, a liver tear during pregnancy can occur in the context of the so-called HELLP syndrome. HELLP syndrome is a serious disease during pregnancy, which causes, among other things, an increased tendency to bleed and an increase in liver values. If bleeding into the liver capsule occurs, a liver rupture can be a rare but dreaded complication.

The liver cannot tear by coughing. It is possible that a very strong or prolonged cough may cause pain in the area where the liver is located. However, this is usually caused by an irritation of the lung membrane (pleuritis) caused by the cough and there is no danger of a ruptured liver.

Even in the case of a pre-diseased liver, a rupture of the organ cannot be caused by coughing.Although the liver may swell in the case of so-called whistling glandular fever (infectious mononucleosis) and in very rare cases this can also lead to a rupture of the organ, but only through the application of greater force such as a blow or impact. Coughing cannot cause a rupture of the liver even in such an unfavorable situation. Regular consumption of alcohol generally has a damaging effect on the liver.

However, a liver laceration is not a typical direct consequence of alcohol. In most cases, it is triggered by a violent impact such as a traffic accident. A liver damaged by alcohol can at best increase the risk of a rupture of the organ in the event of a violent impact.

Frequent alcohol consumption can first cause fatty degeneration of the liver and then, over time, lead to connective tissue scarring of the organ (liver fibrosis), which is ultimately accompanied by a loss of liver function. As a result, blood coagulation disorders, consciousness and thinking disorders and dropsy are among the consequences. Alcohol also increases the risk of developing liver cancer. Even daily consumption of half a liter of beer or two glasses of wine can cause long-term damage to the liver. If alcohol is not consumed daily and not in excessive quantities, the liver is usually better able to regenerate itself.