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- Apr 11, 2005
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Ugh, thought that'd be the topic with a title like that -_-
This is a little late, but cirrhosis is, as you said, is the replacement of functional liver with nonfunctioning scar tissue. Alcoholism, hepatitis B and C, and some inhereted iron disorders are among the top causes of it. Alcohol is metabolized by the liver to vinegar, but the liver pays a price for converting it. Over time, an aldehyde intermediate of the detoxification (think: formaldehyde) basically cooks it. Cirrhosis is basically what you're left calling the thing that used to be your liver. The only cure that I know of for true cirrhosis is a liver transplant, and as you alluded to, they don't give new livers to active alcoholics. With transplant, outcome still isn't good. 5-year survivals of maybe 60%-ish. And without transplant even with abstinence, cirrhosis feeds itself more liver until there's nothing left. The most common cause of death in cirrhotic alcoholics is acute alcoholic hepatitis, which sounds like what he went into--a fast and strong shock to a hurt liver crashes the person, since the liver is a vital organ.
Sorry about your loss ;_;
This is a little late, but cirrhosis is, as you said, is the replacement of functional liver with nonfunctioning scar tissue. Alcoholism, hepatitis B and C, and some inhereted iron disorders are among the top causes of it. Alcohol is metabolized by the liver to vinegar, but the liver pays a price for converting it. Over time, an aldehyde intermediate of the detoxification (think: formaldehyde) basically cooks it. Cirrhosis is basically what you're left calling the thing that used to be your liver. The only cure that I know of for true cirrhosis is a liver transplant, and as you alluded to, they don't give new livers to active alcoholics. With transplant, outcome still isn't good. 5-year survivals of maybe 60%-ish. And without transplant even with abstinence, cirrhosis feeds itself more liver until there's nothing left. The most common cause of death in cirrhotic alcoholics is acute alcoholic hepatitis, which sounds like what he went into--a fast and strong shock to a hurt liver crashes the person, since the liver is a vital organ.
Sorry about your loss ;_;
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