LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Liver: Fatty Liver
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Fatty Liver: "Fatty liver" is a common condition in people who drink too much alcohol. The liver becomes enlarged by the accumulation of fat cells. Usually, the only symptom presented is a slight discomfort within the abdomen. The condition normally improves if the person in question ceases drinkingalcohol.
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Fatty Liver (Steatosis) Alcohol abuse can lead to the accumulation of fat within hepatocytes, the predominant cell type in the liver. A similar condition can ... be seen in some obese people who are not alcohol abusers. Fatty liver is reversible if the patient stops drinking, however, fatty liver can lead to steatohepatitis. Steatohepatitis is fatty liver accompanied by inflammation and this condition can lead to scarring of the liver and cirrhosis. Click to see a microscopic section of a NORMAL LIVER LOBULE and an example of FATTY LIVER in an alcoholic. (Images are part of WebPath and are copyrighted by the Pathology Department of the University of Utah Health Sciences Center.
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Liver biopsy may be necessary to confirm the diagnosis. For the biopsy, a doctor inserts a long hollow needle through the skin (anaesthetized locally to lessen any pain) and into the liver to obtain a small piece of liver tissue for examination under a microscope (see Diagnostic Tests for Liver, Gallbladder, and Biliary Disorders: Biopsy of the Liver). The biopsy can help determine whether fatty liver is present, whether it resulted from alcohol or certain other specific causes, and how severe the liver damage is.
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Overweight individuals are often found to have abnormalities related to the liver, ranging from fatty deposits in the liver (steatosis) to fatty deposits accompanied by inflammation (steatohepatitis). In overweight patients with a fatty liver who subsequently lose weight, liver related abnormalities improve. Therefore, patients with chronic HCV are advised to maintain normal weight. For those who are overweight, it is crucial to start a prudent exercise routine and a low fat, well-balanced, weight reducing diet. Diabetic patients should follow a sugar restricted diet. A low cholesterol diet should be followed in those with hypertriglyceridemia.
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It would seem logical that eating fatty foods would cause a fatty liver, but this is not the case. The liver does play an important role in the metabolism or breakdown of fats. Something goes wrong in this process of metabolism, but it is still not known what does cause fat to build-up in the liver. It is known that fat accumulates in the liver with a number of conditions. The most common is obesity. Fatty liver is ... associated with diabetes mellitus, high blood triglycerides, and the heavy use of alcohol.
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The liver regulates fats (called fatty acids) in the bloodstream. It does this by converting excess amounts of carbohydrates and proteins into fatty acids. The liver ... manufactures cholesterol from this fat. Cholesterol is necessary for many functions, particularly the sex hormones and steroids like cortisone. Excess fatty acid accumulation in the hepatocytes is called lipidosis. This is a disease that occurs mainly in cats, which you will learn more about later.
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Fatty Liver