Doctors at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi highlight the importance of increasing community awareness about cirrhosis of the liver, which is a serious disease caused by a group of factors related to a person’s lifestyle, including infection with viral hepatitis.

"Liver cirrhosis" is a chronic disease that affects the liver and results from habits related to a person's lifestyle, such as obesity and type 2 diabetes, which are often associated with fatty liver disease and chronic viral hepatitis. This serious disease is closely linked to high rates of liver cancer in the Middle East and is a major reason for liver transplants in the UAE. However, doctors confirm that patients can avoid contracting this disease through early and effective examination.

Speaking about the disease, Dr. Shiva Kumar, Head of the Department of Digestive and Liver Diseases at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, explained that in most cases cirrhosis can be prevented, but unfortunately, this disease is sometimes called “ "The silent killer" because most people do not feel any symptoms until a late stage when a large part of the liver has been damaged.

Dr. said. Kumar: “Millions of people around the world suffer from a type of liver infection without knowing it, and with rising rates of obesity and diabetes, we can expect more cases of liver cirrhosis among people around the world over the next decade.”

Cirrhosis causes damage to healthy liver tissue, resulting in permanent scarring that reduces the liver's ability to function normally. Symptoms may be few and rare during the early stages of cirrhosis, but as the condition progresses, this disease can lead to fatigue, weight loss, itchy skin, and jaundice.

While there is not yet a cure for the problem of cirrhosis, doctors can work with patients to manage the disease if it is diagnosed in the early stages, which helps prevent its development. As the disease progresses, the damage to the liver worsens, eventually leading to liver failure that can only be effectively treated with a transplant. Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi is one of a select few centers worldwide that provide advanced nuclear medicine technology to evaluate liver function.

Dr. Kumar added: “Although it is possible to work with the patient to manage cirrhosis and avoid further damage to the liver, this disease is in fact very serious and can lead to liver cancer. Therefore, prevention is the best cure. However, Patients who need surgery can receive the best levels of care at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, where the most advanced and safest techniques are available to perform it.