Treatment of Liver Necrosis
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Liver necrosis is a process of necrosis of the liver tissue as a result of certain circulatory disorders, chemical or thermal effects or trauma. The necrosis area is rejected by other tissues and cells thus can be clearly seen upon diagnosis. If liver tissue becomes damaged to the point it can not be repaired, the liver itself can not function fully and properly anymore.
There are several causes of liver necrosis. The most common cause of liver necrosis is liver failure, which can be a life-threatening condition. Liver failure can be either chronic or acute. In the latter case, the possibility of liver necrosis is higher as the failure develops rapidly over the period of 48 hours sometimes. Another cause of liver necrosis is hepatotoxicity, which is a chemical-driven damage to the liver. Certain drugs can lead to the death of liver tissue if they cause far too many toxins to appear in the liver. Other possible causes of liver necrosis can be Hepatitis B and C and in some cases excessive consumption of alcohol. In rare cases malnutrition can lead to the liver necrosis.
Necrosis of the liver can develop when there is an insufficient supply of blood to the liver or if there had been a serious trauma which damaged the liver tissue. Overall, this disease is rare. In USA there are approximately 200 cases of liver necrosis registered annually.
- Pain in the upper right quadrant of the abdomen
- Enlarged liver
- Jaundice
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Fatigue
- A liver function test is ordered to determine if liver functions properly
- A blood test is ordered to determine if there is infection which could be causing similar symptoms or be the primary cause of liver necrosis.
- An MRI and ultrasound of the liver are used to determine if the liver is enlarged.
- A biopsy is ordered to determine if there is process of necrosis. This test can also determine the extent of necrosis.
- Anatomical liver resection is a surgery used to remove the dead tissue so that the liver functions properly again. If the liver is resected extensively, a patient needs to have liver transplantation. The transplant needs to be found as soon as possible to make the chances for survival as high as possible.
Authors: Dr. Nadezhda Ivanisova, Dr. Sergey Pashchenko
