Biliary cirrhosis...

What is Primary Biliary Cirrhosis? To understand Primary Biliary Cirrhosis, first we must understand what the biliary duct is. Simply put, the biliary duct is made up of the ducts in the liver that deliver bile to the intestines. Thus Primary Biliary Cirrhosis is a disease that affects these ducts, effectively damaging them and eventually destroying them. When these ducts are damaged the bile cannot move through them and thus builds up in the liver, further damaging the tissue there. This leads to scar tissue on the liver, which accumulates, damaging the liver itself. The cause of this disease is unknown. Much of its first symptoms are much alike other cirrhosis of the liver. Itchy skin, fatigue, and eventually, jaundice, and fluid retention. Despite this, the two are very differing diseases that share one thing in common – they both damage and eventually kill the liver.

The Primary Treatment of Biliary Cirrohsis: Primary Biliary Cirrhosis is not a fast disease, but rather it is a slow but progressive one. Thus much of the treatment involved in it is symptomatic treatment, i.e. treating the symptoms as they appear. Drugs such as Questran can combat the itching by reducing the build up of bile in the body. Also, the patient himself should take measures to help himself, the primary treatment of this in biliary cirrhosis is a balanced diet. Vitamin D and calcium are of particular importance. There are some newer drugs that appear help increase liver function although there is nothing confirmed. Still, due to the slow nature of the disease, and the fact that every medical precaution should be taken in order to slow it down even more, there is ample time to plan for the eventual step of a liver transplant. While yes, it is hard to get a liver transplant, with as much time as available to Primary Biliary Cirrhosis patients, it is normally not too bad on them.

What is Secondary Biliary Cirrhosis: Secondary Biliary Cirrhosis is the result of bile duct obstruction. Over a long period of time, this causes damage to the bile ducts and thus prohibiting the flow of bile to the intestines. As with Primary Biliary Cirrhosis, this further damages the liver, and causes much of the same type of problems. Just like Primary Biliary Cirrhosis, it is untreatable in itself save for a symptomatic style of treatment and other drugs to delay the progress of the disease. Eventually, it too will require a liver transplant.

A Liver Primary Biliary Cirrhosis has Affected: How Long Does It Have?There is no exact time frame from the time of diagnosing the disease to the point where a transplant will be required. Indeed when a liver has Primary Biliary Cirrhosis, how fast it deteriorates generally depends on a variety of things from how well the patient manages his diet, to how effective the drugs are in mitigating the damage to the liver. All in all though, although there is no reason to panic, there is also no reason not to start preparing early. That way there'll be no being caught unawares, and everything will be in order by the time the liver deteriorates any considerable amount. The success rate for liver transplants of primary and secondary biliary cirrhosis patients is over 90%, which is tremendously encouraging for any patient, or even family member.