Chronic Liver Failure & End-stage Liver Disease (ESLD)

How can doctors manage liver cirrhosis?

Cirrhosis is irreversible, so the doctor aims:

• To slow further damage of your liver
• Prevent and treat symptoms
• Prevent and treat complications

General treatment:

• Live healthily, and eat a nutritious diet low in sodium.
• Avoid alcohol intake.
• Ask your health provider before taking any drug.

Treatment of complications:

• Endoscopic band ligation and sclerotherapy treat oesophageal varices.
• Lactulose decreases ammonia in the blood and treats confusion.
• Norepinephrine and albumin infusion help in the treatment of hepatorenal syndrome.
• Chemoembolization and radioembolization treat cancer.

Specific treatment:

• Interferon-alpha treats viral hepatitis.
• Diuretics treat swelling and fluid collection.
• Antibiotics treat severe infections with ascites.
• Corticosteroids treat autoimmune hepatitis.
• Copper chelator treats Wilson’s disease.
• In advanced cases, you may need a liver transplant.