Edema & End Stage Liver Disease

Edema is a condition of fluid retention in the body, and may be one of many consequences of end-stage liver disease, called cirrhosis.

Features

• Edema is characterized by the buildup of fluid in the body, typically in the legs and feet. The condition causes painful bulging and swelling of the legs and feet.

Cirrhosis

• Liver damage that progresses to an advanced stage of liver disease, in which the organ tissue is permanently and irreversibly transformed into scar tissue, is called cirrhosis. This end-stage liver disease leads to many complications that affect other vital organs, such as the kidneys, which, in malfunction, contribute to edema.

Hormonal Change

• One cause of edema in cirrhosis patients is the change in the liver's ability to regulate hormones. An abnormality in the liver's functions causes a change in the normal secretion of hormones and fluid regulation, leading to an accumulation of fluids in the body.

Portal Vein Pressure

• Cirrhosis causes increased pressure in the portal vein, which is the large vein that carries blood to the liver from the intestines, pancreas, and spleen. This pressure and resulting fluid retention causes the painful swelling in the legs and feet.

Symptoms Caused by Edema

• Edema causes swollen skin that retains a dimple or indent after pressure is applied. The ankles may swell to a debilitating degree. Stiff joints, and weight loss (hidden by the illusion of weight gain due to the swelling) are other effects of edema.

Treatment

• Edema is typically treated with diuretics, however, in many cases cirrhosis is a contraindication for such medications, since the liver is too vulnerable to the effects of new medications. Individual medical conditions determine treatment; consult your doctor.