Liver Fibrosis: Symptoms, Mechanisms and Management

When excessive fibrous connective tissue forms in the liver, the condition is termed as liver fibrosis. In its advanced stage, liver fibrosis results in liver cirrhosis, portal hypertension and liver failure. Liver fibrosis occurs due to a chronic damage to the liver. The main causes of this are alcohol abuse, viral infections and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. The pathological basis of cirrhosis is the replacement of normal parenchyma with scar tissue. The damage to the parenchyma acts to activate stellate cells, thereby increasing fibrosis and proliferating connective tissue. This fibrotic material in the extracellular matrix does not get broken down in the liver owing to the action of the stellate cells. Chelation therapy, interferon and corticosteroids may be prescribed for its management. Treatment of liver cirrhosis and liver failure often requires liver transplantation, whereby a diseased liver is replaced with a healthy liver. This book explores all the important aspects of liver fibrosis in the present day scenario. It strives to provide a fair idea about this disorder and to help develop a better understanding of its symptoms, mechanisms and management. Those with an interest in liver fibrosis would find this book helpful.