Cirrhosis is scarring of the liver and poor liver function. It is the final phase of chronic liver disease.

Liver cirrhosis; Cryptogenic chronic liver disease

Cirrhosis is the end result of chronic liver damage caused by chronic liver diseases. Common causes of chronic liver disease in the United States include:

• Hepatitis C infection (long-term infection)
• Long-term alcohol abuse (see alcoholic liver disease)

Other causes of cirrhosis include:

• Autoimmune inflammation of the liver
• Disorders of the drainage system of the liver (the biliary system), such as primary biliary cirrhosis and primary sclerosing cholangitis
• Hepatitis B (long-term infection)
• Medications
• Metabolic disorders of iron and copper (hemochromatosis and Wilson's disease)
• Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)

Images

Clubbing

Digestive system organs

Liver cirrhosis, CT scan

Review Date: 12/13/2010
Reviewed By: George F. Longstreth, MD, Department of Gastroenterology, Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program, San Diego, California. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)