Cirrhosis is scarring of the liver as a result of long-term, continuous damage to the liver.
It is a serious condition where healthy tissue in the liver is destroyed and replaced by scar tissue, which starts to block the flow of blood through your liver.
Cirrhosis progresses slowly, over many years, gradually causing your liver to stop functioning (see box). This is called liver failure.
The damage caused by cirrhosis is permanent, so cannot be reversed.
What are the signs?
In the early stages of cirrhosis, there are very few symptoms. But as your liver loses its ability to function properly, you typically start to experience loss of appetite, nausea and very itchy skin (see Symptoms).
In the later stages, symptoms can include jaundice, vomiting of blood, dark, tarry stools, and a build-up of fluid in the legs and abdomen.
How does it happen?
The two most common causes of cirrhosis in the UK are drinking excessive amounts of alcohol and becoming infected with the hepatitis C virus.
Less common causes include hepatitis B infection, an inherited liver disease (such as haemochromatosis), and a condition called non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).
For more information, see Causes.
How common is it?
Every year, over 4000 people in the UK die from cirrhosis and around 700 people have to have a liver transplant to survive. The number of people with cirrhosis appears to be increasing.
Outlook
Many people with cirrhosis can feel quite well and live for many years without needing a liver transplant, because the liver is able to function even when it is damaged (called compensated cirrhosis).
Symptoms and later-stage complications can be managed with medication (for example, creams to relieve itching), water tablets and a low-salt diet to reduce excess fluid in your body, and surgery to treat swollen veins in your food pipe (see Treatment).
However, when cirrhosis leads to liver failure, the only option is to have a liver transplant.
