What will happen if cirrhosis of the liver is untreated?
2 Answers
Hepatocellular carcinoma will be the end result of cirrhosis or liver cancer for short.
Because the liver is so multifunctional, cirrhosis can cause a myriad of problems, mostly relating to unhealthy blood.
Explanation:
Cirrhosis is scarring of the liver caused by damage, often alcohol misuse, hepatitis C, or non-alcoholic steatohepatitis where fat builds up in the liver.
The liver is the largest solid organ in the body and has multiple jobs relating to digestion or other tasks, such as producing bile, storing nutrients and glucose (as glycogen), breaking down fats, clearing toxins from the bloodstream and making blood proteins.
When the liver has been sufficiently damaged by scar tissue replacing the healthy cells, the liver can no longer filter toxins out of the blood, such as those from the intestines, which can eventually effect the brain and cause hepatitic encephalopathy, leading to behavioural changes and confusion.
If there is a blockage of blood due to scar tissue in the liver, there will be an increased pressure in the portal vein, which can lead to enlarged and weakened veins throughout the torso. These hemorrhage easily and can cause massive damage if not quickly stopped.
Other problems relating to the blood are diabetes, where glucose storage malfunctions in the liver; hypoxia, where there isn't enough oxygen in the blood stream; and changes in blood counts, which can cause all manner of problems. For example, you may be increasingly susceptible to diseases due to lack of WBC's, or lack of platelets could make bleeding easier - and especially in combination with portal hypertension.
