Liver and Biliary System Flashcards
A 20-year old woman became jaundiced 3 weeks after vacationing in Mexico. She had no other symptoms. Could a viral infection be responsible her condition?
Yes, viral hepatitis (particularly hepatitis A and B)
A chronic alcoholic developed high fever, nausea, and vomiting accompanied by jaundice after a 3-day drinking binge. What is the likely cause of acute hepatitis in this patient?
Inflammation of the liver related to drinking alcohol. Not all people who drink heavily develop alcoholic hepatitis, and some people who only drink moderately develop alcoholic hepatitis.
An obese, 45-year old woman developed spasmodic pain in the upper right quadrant of the abdomen 1-hour after ingesting a fat-laden meal. What is the most likely diagnosis?
Classic gallbladder attack caused by cholelithiasis
A clinical syndrome characterized by jaundice and encephalopathy. It occurs when the mass of liver cells is either diminished or impaired:
Hepatic failure
A condition of yellow skin and sclerae that becomes apparent when circulating levels of bilirubin are markedly elevated. Always accompanies hepatic failure:
Jaundice
Neurologic signs and symptoms in patients who suffer from chronic liver failure, or in whom the portal circulation is diverted
Hepatic encephalopathy
A viral infection of hepatocytes that produces necrosis and inflammation of the liver.
Viral hepatitis
This virus never pursues a chronic course. Infection provides lifelong immunity. Transmission is from person to person by the fecal-oral route:
Hepatitis A
This virus causes both acute and chronic liver disease. Chronic hepatitis refers to the presence of inflammation and necrosis in the liver for more than 6 months:
Hepatitis B
Fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis, and cirrhosis:
Alcoholic liver disease
An acute necrotizing lesion characterized by necrosis of hepatocytes, cytoplasmic hyaline inclusions within hepatocytes (Mallory bodies), accumulation of neutrophils, and fibrosis. Clinical features of this disease include malaise and anorexia, fever, abdominal pain, and jaundice:
Alcoholic hepatitis
In about 15% of alcoholics, repeated bouts of hepatitis lead to the formation of regenerative nodules surrounded by connective tissue septae. This condition is termed:
Cirrhosis (represents the end-stage of chronic liver disease)
A chronic liver disease characterized by destruction of the intrahepatic bile ducts and cholestasis. It occurs primarily in middle-aged women and is thought to be an autoimmune disease. Most patients have circulating antimitochondrial antibodies:
Primary biliary cirrhosis
A common inherited disorder of iron metabolism characterized by excessive iron absorption and the toxic accumulation of iron in parenchymal cells of the liver, as well as other internal organs (e.g., spleen, heart & brain).
Hemochromatosis
A sustained increase in portal venous pressure caused by obstruction to blood flow. The most common cause is cirrhosis. Leads to several systemic complications, most notably esophageal varices, splenomegaly, and ascites.
Portal hypertension
