Hepatomegaly is not a separate disease, it is a sign of many diseases. We learn the opinion of experts about what kind of ailment is hepatomegaly, and how to treat such a disease.
What does hepatomegaly mean?
Hepatomegaly - a pathological increase in liver size, accompanied by a change in the tissues of the organ. Changes in the liver are associated with the development of inflammatory processes, infection of the body, exposure to toxins. The result is:
- the death of healthy cells;
- edema of the liver;
- violation of the formation of glycogen - carbohydrate, replenishing the lack of glucose.
Causes of enlarged liver
Enlargement of the liver indicates that there are local (with infection) or diffuse (with the growth of connective tissue) organ changes.
Hepatomegaly occurs due to a number of diseases. We note the most common causes that lead to an increase in liver size:
- heart failure and Bad-Chiari syndrome, characterized by congestion of venous blood in the liver;
- non-infectious liver damage - toxic cirrhosis and hepatitis;
- metabolic disorders in the liver with the deposition of fat and other substances;
- diseases that are a consequence of bile duct obstruction, pancreatic diseases;
- infectious diseases caused by viruses, bacteria, helminths, fungi and protozoa;
- malignant formations in the liver.
Signs of hepatomegaly
For hepatomegaly, the following symptoms are typical:
- icteric color of the skin;
- skin rashes;
- severe itching;
- pain and sensation of lumps in the right side;
- nausea;
- heartburn;
- bad breath ;
- stool disorder;
- accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity;
- appearance of "liver sprouts" on the skin.
The instrumental methods of examination (ultrasound, MRI, X-ray, biopsy) are of crucial importance in the diagnosis of liver diseases along with general clinical and laboratory methods. During the passage of ultrasound and MRI, characteristic echoes of hepatomegaly are revealed:
- enlargement and consolidation of the parenchyma in chronic hepatitis;
- heterogeneity of echostructure in fatty hepatosis, cirrhosis;
- an enlargement of the organ while maintaining the homogeneity of the echostructure in acute hepatitis, liver diseases of parasitic etiology and heart failure;
- the presence of foci in the tissues and the violation of echogenicity in abscesses, cysts and tumors.
How to treat hepatomegaly of the liver?
Treatment of hepatomegaly is a complex process, which includes a number of directions. Among them:
- Specific therapy. Only on the basis of the results of the examination, the specialist determines what tablets to treat from hepatomegaly. Antibiotics are prescribed for hepatitis, antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections, echinococcosis is treated with anthelmintic agents. With heart failure, cardiac glycosides are used for therapy. Malignant formations require the appointment of chemotherapeutic agents.
- Symptomatic treatment is aimed at eliminating manifestations
diseases (nausea, flatulence, etc.) - Surgical intervention may be prescribed depending on the indications.
In addition, in most cases, the patient is recommended to change the diet and eating regimen. With congestion in the liver, resulting from heart failure, a salt-free diet is used. Healing of the liver with chronic intoxication is impossible without the exception of the use of toxins, mainly alcohol. If the metabolism is disturbed, a diet with a decrease in the amount of carbohydrates and fat is indicated.