Definition
Liver Cirrhosis is diffused inflammation and fibrosis, forming regeneration nodules, affecting normal liver function, and causing the obliteration of portal flow and portal hypertension. The occurrence of cirrhosis isn’t sudden, and it is a kind of chronic injury which affects the whole body.
Etiology
Hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and drugs and alcohol have been the causes of liver cirrhosis.
Symptoms
Many people with cirrhosis have no symptoms in the early stages of the disease. However, as the disease progresses, a person may experience the following symptoms:
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Palm erythema, spider nevus
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Weight loss
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Ascites, leg pitting edema, or oliguria
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Portal hypertension (esophagus varices or gastric varies, hemorrhoids, or abdominal wall varicose vein)
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Splenomegaly, anemia, and bleeding tendency (gums bleeding, gastrointestinal bleeding, and bruise easily)
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Jaundice
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Hepatic encephalopathy
Clinical Evaluation
Generally, jaundice, ascites, conscious, coagulation function test, and serum albumin level are taken to be the factors of prognosis.
Treatment
Liver Cirrhosis is unlikely to be recovered; therefore, the prophylaxis is important. People who have chronic hepatitis B with acute exacerbation should receive the anti-viral therapy. Chronic hepatitis C patients should seek applicable medication, and alcoholic liver disease patients should quit alcohol as soon as possible.
The complications are jaundice, hemorrhage, ascites, esophageal varices bleeding, hepatic encephalopathy, and liver tumor (nodules or hepatocellular carcinoma). Treatment of complications is the major problem on cirrhotic patients. Patients should visit the OPD regularly and take the abdominal ultrasonography and biochemical test. Moreover, they need to take the endoscopy to evaluate esophageal varices or gastric varices. If esophageal varices bleeding happens, endoscopic varices ligation should be done. Liver transplant is considered when complications of cirrhosis cannot be controlled by treatment.
Diet suggestions for cirrhosis
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If patients’ conditions are stable with no edema or encephalopathy, they can be given the balanced diet with applicable protein and calories. If patients are with hypercatabolism or malnutrition, their dietary intake should increase calories supply.
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It should stop protein supply in hepatic coma, supply carbohydrate or lipid instead.
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Eat food which contains plant protein for it provides higher branched-chain amino acids to improve hepatic coma.
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Chew carefully and swallow slowly, and avoid eating hard or fries food, if patients have esophageal varices.
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If patients have massive ascites and edema, sodium and water should be restricted.
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Avoid alcohol completely. Coffee, black tea, and green tea can be drank appropriately.
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Avoid food which produces high ammonia, food like sausage, ham, cured meat, cheese, and peanut butter.
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Decrease fat supply when patients have steatorrhea, and have patients eat appropriate medium chain triglycerides.
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Prescribe appropriate vitamins and minerals by doctors and nutrition consultants.
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