The liver is one of the largest and most
vital organs and it performs many important jobs, including protein production,
changing food into energy and removing toxic or poisonous substances from the
blood. One cannot live without a functioning liver.
There are a number of diseases that can
injure the liver and stop it from working correctly. One of these is hepatitis
or the inflammation of the liver. With hepatitis, the liver stops working well. It can lead to scarring (cirrhosis) or
cancer. Viruses cause most cases of hepatitis. Viral hepatitis is the most
common cause of liver disease in the world.
A person with a liver problem may not be
symptomatic in the early stages of the disease. Sometimes the disease may be
identified during routine tests for other reasons. However, once liver problems
reach a certain point, symptoms will start showing up. The most common symptoms
of liver disease include weakness and fatigue, weight loss, nausea, vomiting
and yellow discoloration of the skin or jaundice.
According to the doctors at The Medical City
(TMC) Center for Liver Disease Management and Transplantation (CLDMT), if you
wait for these warning signs or symptoms before caring for your liver, it might
be too late. An effective way of keeping track of your health is through
regular health screening.
There are also liver function
tests which are blood tests that help determine the health of your liver
by measuring the levels of proteins, liver enzymes, or bilirubin in your blood.
Your doctor may order a liver function test
if you’re more likely to have liver damage or disease, like if you are a heavy
drinker, or if you come from a family with a history of liver disease, if you
are overweight and have diabetes or high blood pressure or if you are taking
medicine that can harm your liver.
FibroScan Probe at The Medical City
In 2010, CLDMT introduced the first FibroScan
probe in the Philippines. The FibroScan probe is a non-invasive, painless, and
speedy alternative to biopsies used for assessing fibrosis, or the formation of
scar tissue due to injury or long-term inflammation. The early detection of
fibrosis is the key to preventing chronic liver disease, which is associated
with conditions such as Hepatitis B, alcoholic liver disease, and fatty liver
disease.
Pressed gently against the upper right side
of the patient’s abdomen, the probe makes use of transient elastography,
creating a special pulse whose velocity is measured via ultrasound. The velocity
determines how stiff the patient’s liver is—the stiffer the liver, the greater
the degree of fibrosis. Based on the test’s results, the patient may then be
recommended to CLDMT specialists for further analysis and treatment.
The CLDMT recently acquired an enhanced FibroScan
502 Touch which offers a more improved patient data management system with more
complete and personalized exam reports. It is compatible with the complete
range of FibroScan probes and offers simultaneous connection of two probes giving
flexibility for the patient assessment. An indicator recommends the probe
best suited to the patient's morphology.
The FibroScan examination is painless, quick,
and easy. You will only feel a slight vibration on the skin where the tip of
the probe is applied.
The examination usually takes
approximately 15 to 20 minutes to complete. The patient can go back to his
usual activities immediately after the procedure.
If you suffer from a liver disease, ask your
doctor about the FibroScan at The Medical City.
The CLDMT is a world-class facility managed
by a team of internationally trained and renowned liver surgeons, transplant
surgeons, hepatologists, radiologists, oncologists, pediatricians, and
intensivists. The Liver Center offers diagnostic, therapeutic, medical,
surgical, and radiologic services for acute and chronic liver conditions. For
inquiries, call the CLDMT at 9881000 local 6506.
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