Cirrhosis describes a destructive condition of healthy tissue of the liver. This healthy liver tissue is replaced by hard nodules connected by strands of thick fibrous tissue. The damaged liver cells leave the liver unable to perform its hundreds of normal functions for the body. Multiple causes can damage liver tissue, but there are four main types; Laennec's, postnecrotic, biliary and cardiac cirrhosis.
Laennec's Cirrhosis
Laennec's cirrhosis, also called alcoholic cirrhosis, makes up the most common cause and type of cirrhosis of the liver. The American Academy of Family Physicians reports that 60 to 70 percent of cirrhosis cases are caused by chronic and habitual alcohol abuse. During this disease process, the liver becomes enlarged and firm in early stages of cirrhosis and then becomes smaller and nodular in advanced disease.
Biliary Cirrhosis
The University of Maryland Medical Center describes the cause of biliary cirrhosis as diseases or defects in the bile duct. The bile duct either becomes inflamed or has a blockage causing the backup of bile into the liver. Excess bile causes tissue destruction in the liver. This type of cirrhosis most typically causes jaundice or yellowing of the skin.
Postnecrotic Cirrhosis
Postnecrotic cirrhosis occurs after a massive event causes extensive liver cell death. "Medical Surgical Nursing" reports that this cell death most often occurs as a result of hepatitis infection. Several other types of infections and substances toxic to the liver also causes postnecrotic cirrhosis of the liver. This type of cirrhosis is often suspected when alcohol does not play a role.
Cardiac Cirrhosis
Cardiac cirrhosis occurs as a result of congestive heart failure. The heart becomes unable to pump blood efficiently, leading to congestion and the backup of blood. Liver damage occurs due to the poor circulation of oxygenated blood to the liver. Liver tissue essentially dies as a result of the lack of oxygen, which leads to the replacement of healthy cells with fibrous tissue.
References
- "Medical Surgical Nursing" Ignatavicius, D. MSN, Workman, L. PhD.; 2002
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Bilary Cirrhosis
- American Academy of Family Physicians: Cirrhosis and Chronic Liver Failure Part I
