Alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver

Alcoholic cirrhosis is the outcome of necrosis of the parenchyma caused by ethanol, fibrosis, and liver nodosa. It is believed that such cirrhosis occurs in about 20% of all chronic alcoholics. To develop alcoholic cirrhosis, it takes about 10 years to systematically abuse alcoholic beverages. Features of alcoholic cirrhosis are: the presence of alcoholic hyaline and the development of fatty hepatosis in liver cells. Exacerbations of this disease usually occur when a person drinks alcohol, with the abstinence of a patient from drinking alcohol - the condition improves and remains relatively stable.

How alcoholic cirrhosis develops

In connective tissue septa, the inflammatory response is negligible. Necrosis, which leads to cirrhosis, can begin centrally or be bridged, which extends to the periphery of the lobule from its center. In the initial stage, usually, alcoholic cirrhosis is micro-nodular. Nodules are formed relatively slowly because of the inhibitory effect on the regeneration of the liver of ethanol. Also such cirrhosis of the liver can be formed without signs( morphological) inflammation. In this case, the disease develops through the stage of periveneular fibrosis.

Symptoms of alcoholic cirrhosis

With alcoholic cirrhosis, there is a particularly pronounced vitamin and protein deficiency. In this disease, other organs and systems are always affected. The central nervous system is affected. Because of this, the patient exhibits aggressiveness, irritability, sleep is disturbed, there are various alcoholic psychoses. Alcoholic polyneuropathy develops because of the disturbance of the peripheral nervous system. It is manifested by pain in the limbs, a violation of the sensitivity of the limbs, peripheral paralysis and paresis, weakness throughout the body. The abdomen of the patient greatly increases in size.

In a patient with this type of cirrhosis, an alcoholic myositis develops. There is frequent muscle weakness, pain in the muscles. Parotid salivary glands increase considerably, hair falls out. In addition, the patient is found Dupuytren's contracture - a tightening and tightening of the tendons of the hand, in most cases, the third or fourth fingers. The patient's finger does not fully unbend. He is drawn to the palm of his hand, where a deformed thickened tendon is probed. Alcoholic gastritis also develops in patients, which is manifested by vomiting in the morning, diarrhea, abdominal pain. The cardiovascular system( alcoholic cardiomyopathy) is affected, pancreas( chronic pancreatitis and diabetes mellitus) is exposed. Often cirrhosis of the liver is even complicated by bleeding, in particular gastrointestinal. At the stage of decompensation of the disease develops jaundice, severe liver failure, exhaustion of the patient.

Treatment of alcoholic cirrhosis

In the elimination of the cause of the development of cirrhosis( alcohol abuse) is the treatment of this liver disease. Also, treatment is to prevent subsequent damage to the liver cells. In some patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis, malignant liver degeneration is a hepatocellular carcinoma or liver carcinoma. The patient's weakness is increased, there is a heaviness in the zone of the liver, appetite disappears, body weight decreases.

Alcoholic cirrhosis can and should be treated. In order to start the treatment correctly, you need to seek help from a specialist in this field as soon as possible. Nowadays there are all conditions for the treatment of this disease. In the treatment of the use of any alcoholic beverages is prohibited, otherwise the treatment will not be effective. The patient is given the surrender of all necessary tests, then the specialist is prescribed treatment, each patient individually, taking into account the degree of the disease and the concomitant diseases.

With alcoholic cirrhosis, the liver is not completely restored, but with timely treatment and all the prescriptions of a specialist, a person returns to normal again. If the patient again becomes abused alcohol, the disease will progress. In such cases, only donor liver transplantation can help.