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Signs & Symptoms of End-Stage Liver Failure

Excessive drinking, certain infections such as hepatitis and genetic conditions can lead to liver disease. If the cause of liver disease is not treated or if the treatment fails, the liver starts to fail. End-stage liver failure causes many symptoms, most of which are serious. Usually the only course of treatment for end stage liver failure is a transplant.

  1. Jaundice

    • When the liver is not functioning properly it fails to remove bilirubin from the blood. A high level of bilirubin in the blood can lead to jaundice, which is a yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes. Other signs of a buildup of bilirubin are dark urine and clay-colored stools.

    Feelings of Illness

    • Since the liver aids in so many bodily processes, such as removing toxins from the blood and aiding digestion, its failure can lead to signs of illness. People with end-stage liver failure may feel fatigued and lethargic. They may also run a fever. Nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite are also common symptoms.

    Abdominal Swelling and Pain

    • A failing liver can lead fluid to buildup in the abdominal cavity, a condition called "ascites." This causes the abdomen to swell, which can also lead to pain because it puts pressure on internal organs. Fluid can also pool in the legs due to end stage liver failure, a condition called edema.

    Bleeding

    • When the liver fails, it stops producing the proteins needed for the blood to clot, which can cause easy bleeding and bruising. A failing liver can also cause increased pressure in the portal vein, the vein that drains blood from the spleen and gastrointestinal tract. This can also lead to enlarged blood vessels in the esophagus and stomach. These enlarged blood vessels have an increased risk of rupture, which can lead to severe and life-threatening bleeding.

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