Patients from 105+ countries have trusted us
Join hundreds of happy patients who choose the right treatment and care.
Get A Quote
Liver Cirrhosis
- Days In Hospital 3 days
- Outside Hospital Stay 7 days
- Success Rate %
Minimum Cost
$ 2000
Maximum Cost.
$ 5000
Overview of Liver Cirrhosis in India
Liver cirrhosis is a condition characterized by scarring of the liver due to the effects of a serious illness or unhealthy lifestyle choices that incorporate excessive alcohol and smoking into the daily routine. Liver cirrhosis can cause some serious end stage liver diseases immediately preceding if it has not already led to the development of liver diseases such as hepatitis or fatty liver. When the liver is injured due to an illness, the liver becomes damaged, and during the healing process, the liver cells begin to repair and form scar tissue. When the liver continues to become enlarged or injured, excess amounts of scar tissue form.
When the scar tissue occurs in excess amounts it stops the liver from performing its normal function. In cases of excessive scar tissue from liver cirrhosis, it can lead to life-threatening situations that cause the liver to stop the normal functioning. If the liver cirrhosis is at early diagnosis, it may be rare, but sometimes liver cirrhosis can be reversed.
When liver cirrhosis occurs, the liver is vulnerable to future damage in excess, which can also lead to liver diseases. Liver cirrhosis can lead to various complications, and there are a range of different potential complications from liver cirrhosis if not treated.
For instance, cirrhosis of the liver may alter blood supply to the liver which may cause conditions like hypertension and pooling of blood in veins in the legs. Cirrhosis of the liver may also leads to a higher risk of infection which complicates this condition further. It is important to take care of cirrhosis of the liver early opportunity, otherwise, it will decrease the quality of life of the patient.
What Is Cirrhosis of the Liver?
Cirrhosis of the liver is a later stage of chronic liver disease. At this stage, a substantial amount of your healthy liver tissue has changed to scar tissue. Scarring develops from an ongoing infection in your liver (hepatitis). When you have significant scar tissue, your liver cannot work properly. You will then experience liver failure. Although cirrhosis can't be reversed, treatment may slow or stop the change from progressing.
Types of Liver Cirrhosis:
There are multiple causes of liver cirrhosis, and each of them has its own peculiarities:
Alcoholic Cirrhosis: This is a long-term condition that is caused by excessive consumption of alcohol, which destroys liver cells resulting in inflammation and liver failure. The disease can easily manifest its symptoms at an advanced stage.
Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD): It is the outcome of fat deposition in the liver that is usually experienced by non-drinkers. It may proceed to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which results in inflammatory scarring. Such risk factors are diabetes, obesity, and high cholesterol.
Hepatitis B and C Cirrhosis: scarring and inflammation are a result of chronic viral infection. Early diagnosis and intervention is essential to avoid cirrhosis.
Autoimmune Cirrhosis: In this disease, the immune system attacks the liver resulting in inflammation and scarring. The management includes immunosuppressive drugs.
Hemochromatosis Cirrhosis, excessive iron absorption originating from a genetic disorder causes inflammation, scarring, and cirrhosis of the liver. Treatment is the removal of blood from the body to decrease iron levels.
Wilson's Disease and Cirrhosis, is a genetic disorder that creates a build-up of copper in the body's organs (and particularly in the liver) that will produce cirrhosis if untreated. Treatment is through medicating the removal of extra copper and dietary measures.
Primary Biliary Cirrhosis (PBC) is an autoimmune disease that invades the bile ducts, causing inflammation, scarring, and cirrhosis of the liver. Treatment is medicated to help alleviate symptoms and slow disease progression.
Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC) is an autoimmune disorder that affects the bile ducts, causing inflammation and scarring. In advanced cases, a liver transplant might be necessary.
Procedure:
Treating the Underlying Causes
In the initial forms of cirrhosis, the damage to the liver can be reduced by curing the underlying causes. The following are some of the possible treatment options recommended by a liver specialist.
- Treatment of Alcohol Dependency: alcohol dependent parties ought to quit drinking and in case of necessity, they ought to undergo alcohol addiction therapy since the liver is very sensitive to any form of alcohol.
- Weight Control: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease-related cirrhosis could be treated by weight loss and control of blood sugar to achieve a good health.
- Hepatitis Medications: There are special antiviral medications that can treat the hepatitis B or C infection to limit the destruction of liver cells.
- Drugs used to treat Cirrhosis: there are drugs able to slow down the progression of different forms of liver cirrhosis, including primary biliary cholangitis as long as it is detected at the early stages.
Treating the Complications of Liver Cirrhosis
Cirrhosis is a serious condition that can lead to a number of complications. Healthcare providers will work with patients to treat any complications that develop.
One of the most common complications of cirrhosis is ascites, which is a buildup of fluid in the body. This can be controlled with a low-sodium diet and medication. In more severe cases, endoscopic procedures to drain the fluid or surgery may be necessary.
Another common complication of cirrhosis is portal hypertension, which is high blood pressure in the veins that supply the liver. This can be treated with medication to control blood pressure and prevent bleeding. Healthcare providers will also regularly check for varices, which are enlarged veins in the oesophagus or stomach that can bleed. If varices develop, medication or procedures may be necessary to prevent or stop bleeding.
Cirrhosis can also increase the chances of getting infections; thus, healthcare providers may prescribe antibiotics or other treatments for infections, as well as suggest vaccinations for the prevention of certain infections.
Cirrhosis, of course, can raise your risk factors for developing liver cancer. Providers will likely recommend ongoing blood tests and ultrasound examinations to monitor for signs of liver cancer.
Providers will work with patients to develop a plan for treatment. With appropriate treatment, most patients with cirrhosis will live long and healthy lives.
Liver Transplant Surgery
A liver transplant is a surgical procedure performed to replace a diseased liver with a healthy liver from a deceased donor or from a living donor. It is typically the only curative intervention available In a select and advanced group of patients with liver cirrhosis.
Historically, liver transplant for alcoholic cirrhosis was rarely indicated due to concerns of relapse. However, recent studies indicate that adjudicated patients with severe alcoholic cirrhosis can achieve post-transplant survival rates similar to patients with other chronic liver diseases.
As a requirement for eligibility for an organ transplant, patients with alcoholic cirrhosis must agree to a lifetime commitment of sobriety. This has changed the informal and formal aspects of selection and seriousness of sobriety in the selection of patients for transplants.
Best Doctors in India
Cost of Liver Cirrhosis in India
The cost of liver cirrhosis treatment for Indian patients ranges from $1200 to $1600. The price range for patients from abroad is $1800 to $2200. The patient's condition at the time of diagnosis may have an impact on the price. It may also differ based on each patient's particular issues.
|
Treatment |
Min |
Max |
|
Liver Cirrhosis Treatment |
3200 USD |
4200 USD |
|
Liver Resection |
3836 USD |
5114 USD |
|
Liver Transplant |
25000 USD |
37000 USD |
|
Medications |
800 USD |
1200 USD |
Top Hospitals in India
Indications of Liver Cirrhosis:
As liver disease progresses, it causes a variety of symptoms.
Fatigue: An overall and extreme tiredness that affects daily activities.
Jaundice: Yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes due to the buildup of bilirubin.
Abdominal pain: Discomfort located in the upper right portion of the abdomen as a result of liver enlargement or ascites.
Swelling: Swelling due to fluid retention in the legs, ankles, and abdomen.
Itchy skin: Symptoms may involve itching of the skin possibly due to the accumulation of toxins.
Unintentional weight loss: Symptom related to decreased appetite, nausea, or absorption of nutrients.
Bruising and bleeding: Increased bruising and bleeding may occur due to decreased production of blood-clotting proteins.
Mental confusion: The accumulation of toxins may cause memory loss and issues with concentration (referred to as hepatic encephalopathy).
Dark urine and pale stools: Changes in urine and stool color as a result of liver dysfunction.
Spider angiomas: Small, spidery, blood vessels on the skin of the individual who has liver dysfunction particularly on the face and chest.
Risk Factors:
Cirrhosis can cause various complications, some of which may be fatal. Here are other common complications of liver cirrhosis:
Portal Hypertension: This is cirrhosis-induced increased blood pressure in the veins that bring blood to the liver.
Swelling (Edema and Ascites): The high blood pressure in the portal circulation leads to swelling of the legs (oedema) and/or abdomen (ascites) due to the change in blood flow and less protein produced by the liver.
Enlarged Spleen (Splenomegaly): Portal hypertension causes the spleen to enlarge; an enlarged spleen can lower blood cell counts and may be the first sign of cirrhosis.
Bleeding (Varices): Portal hypertension causes the veins in the esophagus or stomach to enlarge, which can lead to a life-threatening bleeding. Decreased clotting factors from the liver can result in continued bleeding.
Infection: Due to cirrhosis, the immune system is compromised and the patients become more vulnerable to infections such as bacterial peritonitis which is commonly accompanied by ascites.
Malnutrition: Malnutrition may be caused by cirrhosis as it may impair the digestion of nutrients leading to weakness and weight loss.
Hepatic Encephalopathy (Toxin Buildup in the Brain): A broken liver will have a hard time carrying toxins through the blood, thus causing cognitive impairment, confusion and lack of concentration, also referred to as hepatic encephalopathy.
Jaundice: This is due to the decreased ability of the liver to remove bilirubin in the blood which leads to the skin, eyes, and dark urine turning yellow.
Bone Disease: Cirrhosis may cause bone loss and raise the risk of having a fracture.
Heightened Exposure to Liver Cancer: Cirrhosis patients are at great risk of getting liver cancer.
Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure: In other instances, cirrhosis may lead to acute-on-chronic liver failure which is a complicated condition that highly increases death risk.