5 Liver Failure Stages or Liver Cirrhosis Stages – Liver Disease

Liver diseases are of many kinds. But, in general, the progression of liver diseases is consistent. In reality, there are four major points when it comes to measuring the extent of liver disease. Understanding the stages of liver disease helps combating the problem depending on the stage displayed.

Liver Cirrhosis Stage 1: Inflammation

Liver handles the toxic waste that enters our body. When liver is unable to handle the toxins or is unable to re-route toxins out of the body, the body reacts to the toxic imbalance with inflammation, causing the organ to swell. Patient can observe that the area around the liver will become tender to touch or will heat up.

Inflammation is a sign of these diseases: viral hepatitis or immune hepatitis, alcoholic fatty liver or a non-alcoholic fatty liver. Since the damage at this stage is potentially reversable, it is pertinent to see a doctor right away.

Liver Cirrhosis Stage 2: Scarring

When the inflammation is left unchecked, it will start to scar your liver. Scarred tissue do not do the work of healthy tissue, so the more scarring there is the less efficient your liver becomes. This process is known as Fibrosis. If the amount of tissue within the liver is overtaken by Fibrosis, toxins will build up, waiting to be processed. The more this happens, the more the tissue will become fibrotic and incapable of performing its function. Scarring also restricts blood flow through the organ. Tissue that don’t get enough blood become necrotic and then liver enters the third stage of the disease. Even at this stage, complete recovery is possible with medication and lifestyle changes.

Liver Cirrhosis Stage 3: Cirrhosis

When the liver disease reaches the 3rd stage, it is severely scarred and cannot heal itself. This stage is called Liver Cirrhosis. However, developing cirrhosis takes a long time, sometimes decades. So, there’s plenty of time to act before things start getting critical. As liver starts getting infected more and more, patient begins to feel discomfort, tenderness in the area, loss of appetite, fatigue, bloated and oedema. Area around the liver becomes itchy and the patient starts developing jaundice. Other complications include the risk of developing liver cancer.

Liver Cirrhosis Stage 4: Liver Failure or End-stage liver disease (ESLD)

This is the final stage. It can take years for liver to reach this stage, when the liver stops functioning completely, as it is unable to heal itself. There are two types of liver failure. Acute Liver Failure happens fast, within 48 hours. Usually, this is a reaction to having a poison in your system or a drug overdose. But in the case of alcohol poisoning your liver, you get Chronic Liver Failure. It’s the latter that most leads to the need to have a liver transplant.

Liver Cirrhosis Stage 5: Liver Cancer

Cancer is the development and multiplication of unhealthy cells. When cancer develops in the liver, it’s called primary liver cancer. Although it can occur at any stage of liver failure, people with cirrhosis are at an increased risk for developing liver cancer.

 

Why Rela Hospital?

Rela multispeciality hospital is known to be the best liver transplant hospital in India. Our liver cirrhosis treatment in Chennai has high success rates. Our esteemed team of skilled, world renowned liver disease specialists in Chennai will ensure that your liver is on the path to recovery. At Rela Hospital, even at chronic states, we try to ensure that your liver lives!

FAQ’s

Can Stage 4 liver cirrhosis be cured?

No, there is no cure for cirrhosis. The damage already done to your liver is permanent. However, depending on the underlying cause of your cirrhosis, there may be actions you can take to keep your cirrhosis from getting worse

How long can you live with Stage 4 cirrhosis?

With respect to stage 4 cirrhosis of the liver life expectancy, roughly 43% of patients survive past 1 year.

Is Stage 4 liver disease cirrhosis?

Cirrhosis is a late-stage liver disease in which healthy liver tissue is replaced with scar tissue and the liver is permanently damaged. Scar tissue keeps your liver from working properly.

What are the final stages of liver failure?

Symptoms of end-stage liver disease may include Easy bleeding or bruising. Persistent or recurring yellowing of your skin and eyes (jaundice) Intense itching.