Liver Disease

We provides treatment for following liver conditions. 

Liver failure 

We offer liver transplantation for patients with liver failure due to cirrhosis. The most commonest cause for liver cirrhosis and liver failure in Pakistan is Hepatitis C and B. Patients with cirrhosis develop portal hypertension causing oesophageal varices which can cause life threatening bleeding. Long standing cirrhosis also cause development of primary liver cancer which is called hepatocellular carcinoma. 

Liver cyst/s

Benign liver cyst/s is a common condition and does not require any treatment for majority of patients. Sometimes liver cysts are developed as a result of parasitic infections such as hydatid cyst. Liver cysts can be easily diagnosed with a simple ultrasound scan. Treatment of benign liver cysts may be required if they are causing pain and discomfort. Hydatid cyst can be treated with medication but occasionally need surgery. Most cysts can be surgically treated with laparoscopic or key hole surgery now a days. 

Liver metastasis

With modern technology and improvement in post-operative care outcome of patients after liver surgery has improved significantly in recent years. Patients with a variety of cancers can develop metastasis in liver which is essentially involvement of liver with the cancer cells usually through blood circulation. The liver metastasis are usually diagnosed in follow up scans after treatment of original cancer. Occasionally patient s would present with a primary cancer and metastasis in liver at the same time. The most common cancer which migrates to liver through blood is colorectal cancer. The treatment of choice for patient with liver metastasis from colorectal cancer is surgery with excellent results. Other cancers which commonly metastasise to liver are genitourinary, breast, pancreas, oesophagus and stomach. 

Liver cancer 

Primary liver cancer is called hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). One most important cause of HCC in this part of the world is chronic hepatitis B or C infection and cirrhosis. Patient can present with weight loss, abdominal pain or discomfort and jaundice. Diagnosis is based in CT scan, AFP blood test and sometimes needing biopsy for confirmation. Treatment depends on health of the patient and extent of the cirrhosis and may vary from liver resection/surgery to liver transplant. It should be treated in a centre where an experienced multidisciplinary team is available to fully support the patient for such a complex problem.