Liver Disease

Overview

Mayo Clinic is internationally recognized for its expertise and experience in diagnosing and treating liver diseases. Mayo Clinic treats thousands of patients who have liver disease each year and has one of the largest liver transplant programs in the world. A team of hepatologists (specialists in liver diseases) help patients identify their options and choose appropriate treatment plans. Mayo also conducts many clinical trials and cutting-edge basic research on gastrointestinal diseases.

Mayo Clinic uses a team approach to treatment. Besides a hepatologist, the team may also include a radiologist specialized in imaging the liver, an oncologist specialized in the treatment of liver cancer, a pathologist specializing in evaluating biopsy specimens, or a hepatobiliary surgeon.

Liver diseases treated at Mayo Clinic include:

• Cirrhosis — There are many causes and types of cirrhosis. These include:
  
  • Primary biliary cirrhosis
  • Primary sclerosing cholangitis
  • Autoimmune hepatitis
  • Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
  • Hemochromatosis
  • Cryptogenic cirrhosis
  • Secondary biliary cirrhosis
• Genetic liver diseases — Many genetic liver disease cases are discovered in childhood. Experienced pediatric hepatologists are available at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. When a genetic liver disease is discovered later in life, the condition can be treated by hepatologists at each Mayo Clinic location.
  
  • Wilson disease
  • Alpha-1-Antitrypsin deficiency
  • Crigler-Najjar syndrome
  • Gilbert syndrome
  • Dubin-Johnson syndrome
  • Hyperbilirubinemia
• Hepatitis
  
  • Hepatitis A
  • Hepatitis B
  • Hepatitis C
  • Hepatitis D
  • Hepatitis E
  • Hepatitis G
  • Autoimmune hepatitis
  • Alcoholic hepatitis
  • Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (nonalcoholic steatohepatitis)
• Liver cancer — Approximately 90 percent of patients who develop liver tumors suffer from cirrhosis. Types of liver cancer include:
  
  • Hepatocellular carcinoma
  • Fibrolamellar carcinoma
  • Secondary liver cancer
• Cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct tumor)
• Liver transplantation

About Liver Disease

A healthy liver has many important roles, including breaking down harmful substances, removing waste products from the blood, storing nutrients and vitamins, and moderating chemical levels in the body. When the liver becomes diseased these important functions can be disrupted.

Read more at
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