The Liver
The liver is the largest organ in the body. You cannot live without a functioning liver. It is located on your right side, just beneath your lower ribs. The liver performs many important functions:
- Removes or neutralizes poisons from the blood
- Makes the proteins that help stop bleeding
- Produces bile to help absorb fats and vitamins
- Produces immune agents to control infection
- Removes germs and bacteria from the blood
If left untreated over time, chronic hepatitis B can seriously damage your liver.
The healthy liver
This is a healthy liver.
The fibrotic liver
The continuous inflammation of the liver caused by hepatitis B can lead to fibrosis—a formation of scar tissue within the liver.
The cirrhotic liver
In cirrhosis of the liver, scar tissue replaces normal, healthy tissue, blocking the flow of blood through the liver and preventing it from working as it should.
Liver cancer
Liver cancer is the formation of a malignant tumor in the liver. Sometimes liver cancer occurs without cirrhosis.