1. Introduction
KUMC Liver Center is equipped with a medical system that provides an effective diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic liver disease, as well as their long-term management. In order to provide a personalized patient-centered medical service, the center offers a multidisciplinary consultation system with liver disease-related clinical departments (e.g., Department of Gastroenterology, Department of Surgery, Department of Transplantation Surgery, Department of Radiology, Department of Radiation Oncology, and Department of Pathology. The center is also involved in the prevention, and early diagnosis and treatment of liver diseases with advanced diagnostic equipment and treatment facilities. Our clinical trials include rapidly developing medicines, such as antiviral drugs and new liver cancer treatment, and we cooperate with various basic science researchers to disclose the mechanism of hepatitis and liver cancer, and apply them to actual clinical practices.
KUMC Liver Center is committed to providing excellent medical care to patients with liver disease in a more pleasant environment.
2. About Liver Disease
The liver is responsible for storing the nutrients that were absorbed by the intestines, as well as creating the necessary substances, and breaking down and metabolizing various drugs, alcohol, and other detoxifying substances that enter the body. It plays various roles, such as bile production, immune function, and hormone metabolism. In the case of liver disease, the vital functions of the human body are reduced and complex clinical symptoms may arise.
In Korea, the main causes of chronic liver disease include chronic hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and alcoholic hepatitis, as well as autoimmune hepatitis and fatty hepatitis. Chronic hepatitis may lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer, so regular checkups and specialized treatments are necessary.
3. Diagnosis of Liver Diseases
The liver, also commonly known as a silent organ, does not exhibit any particular symptom unless the disease has progressed. For instance, more than 80% of people with liver cancer, who did not undergo regular checkups, already have liver cancer that is either incurable or difficult to treat. Therefore, it is advisable for people with chronic hepatitis and excessive alcohol consumption to receive early diagnosis and treatment before symptoms appear. Family history, social history, and past medical history should be provided by the patient during consultation in order to accurately understand the condition of the liver through physical examinations, blood tests, and imaging examinations.
4. Treatment of Liver Diseases
Liver diseases can indicate a variety of causes and degrees of progression; therefore, appropriate treatment is necessary based on the cause and progression of liver disease. In the case of mild liver disease, it can be changed by improving the lifestyle of the patient. However, chronic viral hepatitis may require an antiviral treatment, whereas cirrhosis and liver cancer may require medical, surgical, and radiological treatment. Various effective treatments have been developed for these diseases over the years. These treatments are performed early or concurrently, thereby showing significantly better results than in the past.
