Liver diseases

1. What is a liver? Give the anatomical description of the liver.

Liver is a larges and most complex organ in the body. Most of it lies in the right upper side of the abdomen under the diaphragm and ribs, and it extends across to the left side of the body overlying the upper of the stomach. It is covered by a tough, fibrous capsule. The gallbladder and its ducts lie beneath the right side of the liver. The liver is composed of up to 100,000 branched and interconnected cells (lobules). Each lobule is surrounded by capillaries from hepatic portal vein and the hepatic artery.

2. What is the principle physiological function of the liver?

The function of the liver are:

• Liver cells recycle various substances, such as hemoglobin;

• Liver destroys many poisonous substances that may be absorbed into the body;

• Acts as an organ of excretion;

• Liver stores vitamins (except vitamin C);

• It regulates the amount of blood sugar, converting excess glucose to glycogen;

• It forms red blood cells in the fetus and is the site of production of plasma proteins.

• Plays major role in metabolism

• Hormone production

• Plasma protein synthesis

• Glycogen storage .

3. What are the causes of liver diseases? Name and define the diseases.

There are such liver diseases: hepatitis, cirrhosis, amoebic dysentery, hematomas, biliary dyskinesia and others. The causes of liver diseases are: infection, poisoning, excessive alcohol, metabolic abnormalities, obstruction and deficiency diseases.

4. What are the symptoms of liver disorders?

The symptoms of liver disorders are: dull ache in the upper right part of the abdomen, jaundice, abdominal swelling, bloody vomiting, and blood in the faeces (melena).

5. Give the definition of cirrhosis ­? What are its types?

Cirrhosis is a type of permanent and progressive liver damage.

The types of cirrhosis are:

• Laennec’s

• Post necrotic

• Biliary

• Hemochromatosis

• Cardiac or congestive

• Rare and nonspecific cirrhosis

6. What are the symptoms of cirrhosis?

The symptoms of cirrhosis are: weakness, feeling of tiredness, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting of blood, constipation or diarrhea, jaundice, broken blood vessels, hard liver, a swollen abdomen and swollen ankles.

7. What is the treatment for cirrhosis?

The treatment for cirrhosis includes steroids, immunosuppressive drugs, highprotein diet with extra vitamins and antibiotic drugs.

8. What is the difference between hepatitis A and hepatitis B?

Hepatitis A has a shorter incubation period and higher contagious rate than hepatitis B. Hepatitis A is transmitted by a fecal-oral route, while hepatitis B is transmitted by the parenteral route.

9. What are the histological and morphological lesions of hepatitis?

The typical morphological lesions of both hepatitis A and И are often similar and consist of pan lobular infiltration with mononuclear cells, hepatic cell necrosis, hyperplasia of Kuppfer cells and variable degrees of cholestasis.

A more severe histological lesion, sub acute hepatic necrosis, is occasionally observed in some patients and may imply a worse prognosis.

10. Describe the clinical picture of acute hepatitis.

The symptoms of acute hepatitis vary considerably from person to person. Some patients have no symptoms at all, and in most cases, children only show mild symptoms.

In the early stages:

• tiredness, general malaise, slight fever

• nausea, poor appetite, changes in taste perception

• pressure or pain below the right ribs caused by an enlarged liver

• aching muscles and joints, headache, skin rash.

The jaundiced phase:

• yellowing of sclera (the whites of the eyes), skin and mucous membranes

• dark urine

• light-coloured stools

• Around this time, the other symptoms subside.

The recovery phase:

• Tiredness that can last for weeks.