The liver is located on the right side of your body.
The liver is located in the same place for people of any sex.
However, the organ may be heavier and larger in males.
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Research studies sometimes don’t use the terminology in this way.
Biliary Stasis
Certain conditions may affect the bile ducts.
Left untreated, fatty liver disease can progress and lead to complications, including liver failure.
Inflammation in the liver can alter the cells enough to lead to cancer.
Liver disease due to a virus also result in changes that affect the DNA of the liver cells.
Metabolic Disorders
Some inherited conditions may negatively affect how the body converts food into energy.
These metabolic disorders can cause a buildup of toxins in the blood and lead to chronic liver damage.
This can include:
Noninfectious Hepatitis
Hepatitis happens when the liver becomes inflamed.
When a condition rather than infection causes it, it is called noninfectious hepatitis.
Autoimmune conditions may lead to the immune system attacking the liver, causing inflammation.
This can include forms of cholangitis that can cause inflammation of the bile ducts, such asprimary sclerosing cholangitis.
Exposure to toxins or drug or alcohol use could also lead to inflammation in the liver.
This could be called toxic hepatitis or alcohol-induced hepatitis.
One purpose of the liver is to remove these toxins from the blood.
If there are more of these substances for the liver to process, the result could be inflammation.
Viral Hepatitis
Viruses can also cause hepatitis.
When liver disease produces signs or symptoms, testing may determine the cause.
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