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Definition

By Mayo Clinic staff

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Image of liver problems showing normal and diseased livers Liver problems

Liver problems include a wide range of diseases and conditions that can affect your liver. Your liver is an organ about the size of a football that sits just under your rib cage on the right side of your abdomen. Without your liver, you couldn't digest food and absorb nutrients, get rid of toxic substances from your body or stay alive.

Liver problems can be inherited, or liver problems can occur in response to viruses and chemicals. Some liver problems are temporary and go away on their own, while other liver problems can last for a long time and lead to serious complications.

Symptoms
References
  1. Your liver. Your life. What everybody needs to know about liver wellness. American Liver Foundation. http://www.yourliver.org/Liver-Wellness-Presentation.pdf. Accessed Feb. 24, 2011.
  2. Viral hepatitis: A through E and beyond. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/viralhepatitis/index.htm. Accessed Feb. 24, 2011.
  3. Cirrhosis. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/cirrhosis/index.htm. Accessed Feb. 24, 2011.
  4. It's dangerous to ignore your liver. American Liver Foundation. http://www.yourliver.org/risk.html. Accessed Feb. 24, 2011.
  5. Liver biopsy. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/liverbiopsy/index.htm. Accessed Feb. 24, 2011.
  6. Know your ALT. American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases. http://www.aasld.org/patients/Pages/KnowYourALT.aspx. Accessed Feb. 24, 2011.
  7. Pratt DS. Liver chemistry and function tests. In: Feldman M, et al. Sleisenger & Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, Management. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-6189-2..X0001-7--TOP&isbn=978-1-4160-6189-2&about=true&uniqId=229935664-2192. Accessed Feb. 24, 2011.
  8. Seeff LB. Herbal hepatotoxicity. Clinics in Liver Disease. 2007;11:577.
DS01133 April 16, 2011

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