cirrhosis

cirrhosis
n.
a condition in which the liver responds to injury or death of some of its cells by producing interlacing strands of fibrous tissue between which are nodules of regenerating cells. The liver becomes tawny and characteristically knobbly (due to the nodules). Causes include alcoholism (alcoholic cirrhosis), viral hepatitis (postnecrotic cirrhosis), chronic obstruction of the common bile duct (secondary biliary cirrhosis), autoimmune diseases (chronic aggressive hepatitis, primary biliary cirrhosis), and chronic heart failure (cardiac cirrhosis). In at least half the cases of cirrhosis no cause is found (cryptogenic cirrhosis). Complications include portal hypertension, ascites, hepatic encephalopathy, and hepatoma. Cirrhosis cannot be cured but its progress may be stopped if the cause can be removed or it can be treated by liver transplantation. This particularly applies in alcoholism (when all alcohol must be prohibited); in chronic hepatitis (in which corticosteroid treatment may reduce inflammation); in secondary biliary cirrhosis (in which surgery may relieve obstruction); and in cardiac failure that can be treated.
Derivatives:
cirrhotic adj.

The new mediacal dictionary. 2014.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Cirrhosis — Classification and external resources A person with massive ascites and caput medusae due to cirrhotic liver failure ICD 10 K …   Wikipedia

  • Cirrhosis — Cir*rho sis, n. [NL., fr. Gr. ? orange colored: cf. F. cirrhose. So called from the yellowish appearance which the diseased liver often presents when cut.] (Med.) A disease of the liver in which it usually becomes smaller in size and more dense… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Cirrhōsis — (gr.), krankhafter Proceß in manchen Drüsen, der Brustdrüse, der Niere, vorzugsweise aber der Leber, wodurch schwieliger, narbiger Schwund des Gewebes bedingt wird, s. Leber (granulirte) …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Cirrhōsis — (griech.), eine durch Vermehrung der Bindegewebselemente auf Kosten der eigentlichen funktionellen elementaren Bestandteile drüsiger Organe etc. verursachte Verhärtung und Schrumpfung der Organe; die C. kommt besonders in Leber, Nieren und Lunge… …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Cirrhosis — Cirrhosis, Verhärtung oder Verschrumpfung eines Organs, z.B. der Leber, wobei sich auf oder in demselben rundliche, harte Körnchen bilden …   Herders Conversations-Lexikon

  • Cirrhosis — vgl. Zirrhose …   Das Wörterbuch medizinischer Fachausdrücke

  • cirrhosis — (n.) 1840s, coined in Modern Latin by French physician René Théophile Hyacinthe Laennec (1781 1826) with OSIS (Cf. osis) and Gk. kirrhos tawny, of unknown origin. So called for the orange yellow appearance of the diseased liver …   Etymology dictionary

  • cirrhosis — ► NOUN ▪ a chronic liver disease marked by degeneration of cells and thickening of tissue. DERIVATIVES cirrhotic adjective. ORIGIN from Greek kirrhos tawny (the colour of the liver in many cases) …   English terms dictionary

  • cirrhosis — [sə rō′sis] n. pl. cirrhoses [sə rō′sēz΄] [ModL < Gr kirrhos, tawny + OSIS: so named by R. T. H. Laënnec (1781 1826), Fr physician, because of the orange yellow appearance of the diseased liver] a degenerative disease in an organ of the body,… …   English World dictionary

  • cirrhosis — cirrhotic /si rot ik/, adj. cirrhosed, adj. /si roh sis/, n. Pathol. a disease of the liver characterized by increase of connective tissue and alteration in gross and microscopic makeup. [1830 40; < Gk kirrh(ós) orange tawny + OSIS] * * *… …   Universalium

  • cirrhosis — Endstage liver disease characterized by diffuse damage to hepatic parenchymal cells, with nodular regeneration, fibrosis, and disturbance of normal architecture; associated with failure in the function …   Medical dictionary

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