liver and gallbladder disorders
Liver Failure
Complications
Many effects occur because the liver malfunctions: The liver can no longer adequately process bilirubin (a waste product formed when old red blood cells are broken down) so that it can be eliminated from the body. Bilirubin then builds up in the blood and is deposited in the skin. The result is Jaundice in Adults . The liver can no longer synthesize enough of the proteins that help blood clot. The result is a Bruising and Bleeding (coagulopathy). Blood pressure in the veins that bring blood from the intestine to the liver is often abnormally high (called Portal Hypertension ). Fluid may accumulate within the abdomen ( Ascites ). Brain function may deteriorate because the liver cannot remove toxic substances as it normally does and these substances build up in the blood. This disorder is called Hepatic Encephalopathy . New veins (called collateral vessels) that bypass the liver may form. They often form in the esophagus and the stomach. There, the veins enlarge and become twisted. These veins—called varicose veins of the esophagus (esophageal varices) or stomach (gastric varices)—are Gastrointestinal Bleeding . The kidneys malfunction in up to half of people with liver failure. Liver failure that leads to Overview of Kidney Failure is called hepatorenal syndrome. The immune system malfunctions, increasing the risk of infections People may have metabolic abnormalities, such as a low potassium level in the blood ( Hypokalemia (Low Level of Potassium in the Blood) ) or a low blood sugar level ( 