Cirrhosis is a chronic degeneration of an organ that results in the replacement of healthy tissues with fibrous connective tissue. The term is most frequently used to describe a diseased state of the liver, the organ that most commonly is affected by cirrhosis.

Liver cirrhosis is caused by many underlying conditions and diseases, including alcoholism, hepatitis B and C, cystic fibrosis, hemochromatosis, liver fluke infection, Wilson disease, and biliary atresia, among others. The leading causes of cirrhosis vary by geographic region. In the Western hemisphere, long-term, excessive alcohol use is most commonly linked with the condition, in which case it is known as portal cirrhosis. Hepatitis infection is more often the cause of cirrhosis in many other regions of the world, especially in less-developed nations.

In the early stages of cirrhosis, the liver expands and takes on a yellowish hue due to an increase in the presence of adipose tissue, which may also be accompanied by an increase in fibrous scar tissue and bile ducts. Over time, the liver develops a granular consistency due to an even greater proportion of fibrous tissue, and the blood vessels passing through the organ thicken, often hindering blood flow. In the final stages of liver degeneration, the organ substantially reduces in size and completely loses it typical lobular organization. At this point all fat in the organ has disappeared and all that remains is greatly damaged liver tissue.

The symptoms an individual with cirrhosis of the liver experiences vary greatly depending upon the extent the disease has advanced. In its earliest stages, cirrhosis may not be accompanied by any symptoms at all, so that the disease is not diagnosed until significant damage has already occurred. Some of the initial signs of such damage include fibrosis of the tendons in the hands, red palms, reddish spotting of the upper body known as spider angiomata, and itching related to an accumulation of bile in the blood. Other symptoms that may occur with cirrhosis advanced to various stages are jaundice, fluid retention (especially in the abdomen and legs), vomiting of blood, frequent infections, confusion, and memory problems. Eventually the disease can lead to coma or death.

Liver cirrhosis is an irreversible condition, but its progression can be slowed or even halted with proper treatment. Generally, treatment of cirrhosis is targeted at the primary cause underlying the disease. When related to alcohol consumption, simply abstaining from alcoholic beverages and other drugs can alleviate many symptoms and hinder the advancement of the disease. Supplemental vitamins and a healthy diet can also be of benefit. If cirrhosis is caused by a viral agent, however, anti-viral therapy may be the best way to halt further scarring of the liver, and similarly, anti-liver fluke medications are of use to individuals who have parasite-related damage to the organ.

Liver Cirrhosis at 10x Magnification - Gender is sometimes a factor in the development of liver cirrhosis, men more commonly developing portal cirrhosis and women more often developing a form of the disease known as primary biliary cirrhosis, which is related to an autoimmune disorder that causes inflammation of the bile ducts.

Liver Cirrhosis at 20x Magnification - Whenever cirrhosis has advanced to its final stages, an organ transplant may be the only treatment capable of improving or extending the life of the patient. The procedure tends to have a high success rate, with more than 80 percent of the individuals who undergo it surviving for at least five years.