Fibrosis & Cirrhosis

Conditions

Fibrosis occurs when scar tissue from inflammation forms on the surface of the liver. As the scarring progresses, the liver begins to fail, and the diagnosis changes to cirrhosis. It’s a gradual disease progression that over time diminishes the liver’s ability to effectively process waste and nutrients through the body.

Diagnostic Testing & Treatment

Einstein’s compassionate, multidisciplinary team of physicians, nurses, behavioral health specialists, nutritionists and social workers will help manage your treatment and care.

Part of normal liver functionality is to excrete waste and excess fluids from the body. When scarring associated with cirrhosis inhibits that function, ascites, or fluid buildup, occurs. Abdominal paracentesis is the process of removing that fluid. During the procedure, a clinician inserts a needle into the peritoneal cavity to draw fluid out.

In the case of advanced liver disease, all treatments include lifestyle modifications like stopping alcohol usage, losing weight and adopting a healthy, low-sodium diet. These changes can stop progression of the disease in early stages and can affect the rate of progression, but they cannot reverse the damage once cirrhosis occurs. Lifestyle changes are critical to prevent complications after liver transplantation.

Advances in medication therapies have proven very successful in limiting damage caused by hepatitis B and C. Other medications that may be prescribed include those that control blood pressure, prevent internal bleeding and reduce toxins in the blood. Antibiotics are used to fight infection. After transplantation, immunosuppressants helps prevent the body from rejecting the donor organ.

Several nutritional therapies have been proven useful in managing complications of advanced liver disease. For example, a low-sodium diet will help reduce fluid buildup in the abdomen. To counter the effects of cirrhosis-related malnutrition, your care team may also prescribe nutritional supplements to strengthen the body until a transplant becomes available.

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a minimally invasive therapy that uses image guidance to place a thin, needle-like probe directly into the tumor. High-energy radio waves are then passed through the probe, heating the tumor and destroying cancer cells.

Depending on the size, location and stage of your cancer; how your cancer responds to other types of therapy; and other factors, your doctors may recommend surgery to remove cancerous tumors. At Einstein, our highly experienced surgeons are experts in the most advanced, minimally invasive procedures.

Depending on the size of your tumor and other factors, your doctor may recommend surgical removal. Our surgeons use video-assisted techniques and the most minimally invasive procedures possible to remove the cancer without damaging healthy tissue. If there is enough healthy tissue left to restore function, your surgeon will perform a resection on your liver after the tumor is removed. If the cancer has spread to a large portion of your liver, you may require a liver transplant.

Transarterial chemoembolization is a targeted therapy in which a surgeon administers chemotherapy drugs directly into a tumor on the liver.

Also called selective internal radiation therapy, this procedure involves injecting radioactive microspheres directly into the arteries that supply blood to cancerous tumors in the liver. Those spheres travel into, and become embedded in, blood vessels, and cut off the tumor’s blood supply.

The Center for Advanced Liver Disease and Transplantation at Einstein Healthcare Network provides compassionate, comprehensive treatment from a multidisciplinary team of nutritionists, behavioral health specialists, social workers, physicians and surgeons.

Learn more about Transplantation at Einstein