Liver Biopsies - What You Should Know

Hepatitis C is a particularly threatening strain of the hepatitis disease. While all types of hepatitis cause the body to experience some form of liver inflammation, hepatitis C is a particularly troublesome form of the disease. For one, no one is protected from hepatitis C as there has not been a vaccine created as of yet to keep the disease at bay. Another reason that hepatitis C can be threatening is the fact that it is one of the few forms of the disease that one may experience as a chronic illness, meaning that it is with them for life. The disease often exists without symptoms, and for that reason, some go decades without realizing that they are afflicted. The disease is usually discovered after the damage is done to the liver, and cirrhosis may be present. Hepatitis C is the number one reason on the planet that people have to undergo liver transplants, and in this article, we'll speak about liver biopsies, which may be an important step when it comes to treating Hepatitis C.
When it comes to diagnosing a case of hepatitis C, doctors often ask you to undergo some blood tests. Through the blood tests, the doctors will be able to tell whether or not you have heightened levels of liver enzymes in your system. They may also note the presence of too much iron or copper in your system, which can be a warning sign for hepatitis C. If the doctor thinks that the liver is not functioning properly as a result of blood tests, they may ask that you undergo a liver biopsy.
In a liver biopsy, doctors remove a small piece of your liver tissue in order to determine if it is functioning as it should. It is actually a minor form of surgery, which consists of the following steps:
- The doctor will note where your liver is and mark your skin with an outline of your liver so that they will know where to work.
- The doctor will then make a small incision on the side of your rib cage. After the incision is made, the doctor will then place a needle into your liver, extracting a small portion of it quickly and effectively.

One thing to note when undergoing this type of surgery is that you should be completely still when the needle is placed inside the liver. If you make too sudden of a motion, the needle may pierce your gallbladder or your lung, causing many problems. For that reason, many physicians ask that you hold your breath while they insert the needle, minimizing the chance of a mishap occurring. After the surgery takes place, the physician will bandage the incision and ask you to lie on your side. They will then monitor your vital signs for an hour or two before you are allowed to be released from the hospital. It's a relatively easy procedure which can do wonders when it comes to diagnosing the problems that you may be facing with a case of hepatitis C.

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