Cirrhosis is a chronic hepatic disorder, anatomically characterized by diffuse liver fibrosis and nodule formation.

These pathological changes produce the clinical features of portal hypertension and hepato­cellular failure. Cirrhosis is the end product of pro­gressive liver injury resulting from many diverse causes including toxins, drugs, viruses, and para­sites. The clinical manifestations of cirrhosis vary according to the severity and duration of the underly­ing disease. In the West, cirrhosis is a major cause of disability and death among middle-aged alcoholic males. In the East and Africa, cirrhosis is predomi­nantly an intermediate lesion in the evolution from chronic hepatitis B infection to primary hepatocel­lular carcinoma.