Liver Failure Polyclinic

What is Liver Failure Polyclinic?

The liver, the largest organ in the body, weighs an average of 1-2 kg, depending on the weight of an adult. The liver is a highly functional organ that cleanses toxic substances, helps break down nutrients and convert them into energy, produces clotting factors, some enzymes and proteins, and stores fat, sugar, vitamins and minerals. When liver failure occurs as a result of damage to the liver for various reasons, many mechanisms in the body will be negatively affected, and serious health problems may occur. The liver failure clinic deals with viral hepatitis, fatty liver, the rarest metabolic liver diseases or any disease that causes bile duct anomalies. It is a center where all age groups are evaluated in the most detailed way, where decisions are made and preparations are made for liver transplantation as both recipients and donors, and where it is highly experienced and consists of experts in its field.

Liver Failure Polyclinic diagnostic methods and Florence's approach

Florence Hospitals have all kinds of up-to-date health technologies for the diagnosis of conditions that cause liver failure, the diagnosis of the disease and the monitoring of its progress. When a transplant is needed as a result of chronic failure, diagnostic methods are used to examine the general condition of both the donor and the recipient. The advanced diagnostic methods used in the liver failure clinic can be explained as follows:

• Blood and urine tests: In blood and urine tests, many values of the patient are checked and both the general health status and the status of liver disease are examined. An idea is obtained about the reason why the liver is not functioning. In addition, the stage and severity of chronic liver disease are determined.
• Radiological imaging methods: The anatomy of the liver, vascular structures, bile ducts, liver volumes and liver fatty levels are examined with imaging methods such as tomography, MR, PET CT, PET MR. Thus, necessary data regarding the diagnosis and progression of diseases are obtained.
• Microbiological and immunological tests: Blood group compatibility, liver volume compatibility, liver steatosis level between the recipient and donor are checked with immunological tests, and infection status is checked before and after the operation with microbiological tests. These tests are very important for the decision to operate and the success of the operation.

Diseases treated in the Liver Failure Polyclinic

In the liver failure clinic, diseases that cause liver failure in the short and long term are treated. It deals with diseases that occur as a result of liver damage and their treatments. The diseases treated in the liver failure clinic can be explained as follows:

• Acute Liver Failure: Acute liver failure, which can occur suddenly in a healthy person, can be caused by many reasons. Situations that can cause acute liver failure are high dose use of certain drugs, pregnancy, sunstroke, fulminant severe acute viral hepatitis, Reye syndrome, Wilson's disease, immunotherapy and chemotherapy, poisoning from various herbs or mushrooms. Acute failure is effective and sudden, so it occurs between 2 and 10 days. The first symptoms start with nausea and can progress to excessive sweating, fainting, tendency to bruise and bleed, excessive thirst and confusion-coma.
• Chronic Liver Failure (Cirrhosis): Chronic liver failure, also known as cirrhosis, occurs as a result of diseases such as chronic alcoholism, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and related hepatitis, autoimmune diseases and chronic viral hepatitis. Although liver damage occurs over time in chronic failure, it becomes worse than acute liver failure. The accumulation of toxins in the body over months and years, problems with nutrient absorption and storage, and the lack of production of important clotting factors begin to cause vital symptoms in the body. For this reason, liver transplantation becomes necessary after a while in the formation of cirrhosis.

What are the procedures and examinations performed at the Liver Failure Polyclinic?

There are two aspects to the procedures and tests performed in the liver failure clinic. One is to diagnose the disease (liver biopsy) and follow its progress, and the other is to determine compatibility with the donor in the case of transplantation. Detailed blood and urine tests, microbiological tests and immunological tests that require a sensitive examination are needed in both aspects.

What are the Liver Failure Polyclinic treatment methods and Florence's approach?

Florence Hospitals ensure that the patient is followed up in the best way possible in the treatment of liver failure and that the necessary treatment is applied at the right time. The most frequently used treatment methods in the liver failure polyclinic are:

• Conditions that do not require transplantation: Medical treatment of chronic viral hepatitis, medical treatment and follow-up of chronic autoimmune liver diseases (PBC, PSK, DIH), diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of fatty liver disease that develops due to diabetes, obesity or another cause and is increasing in the society, diagnosis and treatment of alcoholic hepatitis that has not yet progressed to cirrhosis.
• Plasmapheresis: When liver damage occurs and failure occurs, one of the important functions of the liver, the removal of toxic substances, is disrupted. In this case, plasmapheresis is preferred as a supportive treatment for the liver. With the plasmapheresis method, toxins in the plasma are removed by centrifugation and cleaned plasma is replaced. In this way, the symptoms of liver failure are relieved. Although there are many supportive treatments that will reduce the symptoms of liver failure, none of them provide a cure for the disease.
• Hemoperfusion: Hemoperfusion, another supportive treatment, removes toxic substances from the blood by passing them through a high-volume adsorbent surface rather than through a centrifuge.
• Liver Transplant: Most treatments for liver failure aim to reduce symptoms and improve the condition. However, if there is permanent liver damage, a liver transplant is necessary for a full recovery.

What are the health technologies used in the Liver Failure Polyclinic?

Many advanced health technologies are needed in the diagnosis and treatment of liver failure. All kinds of technical equipment needed such as devices for analysis and examinations, MRI, PET MRI, PET CT, ultrasonography and tomography devices for radiological imaging methods are available in Florence Hospitals in accordance with international standards.

Why should I choose Florence for Liver Failure Outpatient Clinic?

Florence Hospitals follow current developments in the field of medicine and have health technologies, diagnosis and treatment methods at international standards. With its expert and experienced team in the field, all medical units work multidisciplinary and the treatment of the disease is carried out in the most successful way. The comfort and safety of the patient is at the forefront during the pre-treatment and post-treatment process. Since the patient is informed about the comfortable and reliable treatment process and after, they prefer Florence Hospitals with peace of mind.

Florence Karaciğer Yetmezliği Polikliniği ekibi, uzmanlıkları ve özel ilgi alanları nelerdir?

Florence Karaciğer Yetmezliği Polikliniği ekibi, alanında başarılı ve tecrübeli organ nakli cerrahları, anestezisyenler, transplant hepatology (gastroenteroloji uzmanı) karaciğerle ilgili tıbbi birimlerin doktorları, organ nakli hemşireleri, asistanları ve teknisyenlerinden oluşan kalabalık bir ekiptir. Hastalıkların tespiti, tedavisi, nakil kararının verilmesi, hastalar için operasyon öncesi ve sonrası en iyi şartların oluşturulması aşamalarında tecrübelerini yansıtırlar. Florence Karaciğer Yetmezliği Polikliniği doktor ekibinin ilgi alanları ve çalışmaları arasında canlı vericili karaciğer naklinde preoperatif mortaliteye etkileyen faktörler ve canlı donörlerde morbidite, donör seçimi yapılırken genişletilmiş kriterler üzerine yaptıkları çalışmalar yer alır. Yayınladıkları pek çok makale ve bildiriler bulunur.

What is the Relationship with Other Units from a Multidisciplinary Perspective?

Florence Nightingale Hospitals strongly demonstrates the multidisciplinary perspective it adopts in every field among medical units. In the diagnosis and treatment phase of liver diseases, and if necessary in case of transplantation, the team of specialist doctors evaluates the situation in terms of both the donor and the recipient. The medical units with which the liver failure polyclinic is associated in a multidisciplinary manner can be listed as follows:

• Internal Medicine: In case of a disease in the internal organs, the first medical unit to be consulted is the internal medicine, also known as internal medicine. If a liver disorder is detected as a result of the checks performed in the internal medicine, the relevant units are referred.
• Gastroenterology: Gastroenterology, a sub-branch of internal medicine, is closely related to the liver failure clinic as it deals with diseases related to the liver, bile ducts and gall bladder.
• Cardiology: When a transplant is needed due to liver failure, cardiology is one of the departments that provide support in evaluating the general conditions for both the recipient and the donor and determining whether there is a risk.
• Organ Transplant Center: Organ transplant center is a center where criteria for recipients and donors are evaluated for many organs. The center also determines who needs organ transplantation for the liver and who meets the conditions for being a donor.
• Check-Up and Healthy Living Center: Necessary precautions can be taken by performing regular checks at the Check-Up and Healthy Living Center to detect liver damage early and, if possible, to prevent further damage.
• Interventional Radiology
• Chest Diseases