Cirrhosis I: Introduction

Cirrhosis develops when chronic liver injury results in scar tissue and nodules replacing healthy liver tissue. This distorts the liver’s structure and impairs its function.

This progressive damage can result from various causes, including chronic alcohol use, infection with hepatitis B and C, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Additionally, autoimmune liver diseases, such as autoimmune hepatitis, and inherited metabolic disorders, like Wilson disease, can also contribute to cirrhosis.

As the disease progresses, regenerative nodules form, encased by fibrous bands, causing structural changes that are classified morphologically into three types:

Micronodular cirrhosis is characterized by small, uniform nodules typically less than 3 millimeters in diameter.

Macronodular cirrhosis is defined by larger, irregularly shaped nodules separated by prominent bands of fibrous tissue.

In mixed cirrhosis, a combination of small and large nodules results in an uneven and irregular liver surface.

These structural alterations lead to compromised liver function and increased portal pressure.