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Mills-Peninsula Alcoholic Liver Disease Care

Alcohol can damage or destroy liver cells if you drink more of it than your liver, the body's filter, can safely break down. At Mills-Peninsula Medical Center, liver specialists treat all types of alcoholic liver disease and complications caused by liver damage.

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Featured Services

  • Liver Biopsy
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Connect with a Liver Specialist

Advancing the Fight Against Alcoholic Liver Disease (ALD)

An estimated 14 million people in the United States have an alcohol use disorder, according to the 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Some of them will develop alcoholic liver disease (ALD) as a result.

The liver performs a vital function as the body’s primary filter for removing harmful substances—including alcohol—from the bloodstream. If you consume more alcohol than your liver can break down, it can damage or kill liver cells and cause scarring. 

In the Sutter Health network, highly trained liver specialists are advancing the care of alcoholic liver disease (ALD) through research and the development of new therapies and treatments of liver damage. 

Types of ALD

Alcoholism causes three types of liver disease, but ALD does not necessarily progress through each one as in stages. You may develop cirrhosis without having had alcoholic hepatitis first.

  • Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease — An early consequence of excessive alcohol consumption that is reversible with abstinence.
  • Alcoholic Hepatitis — Marked by fat deposits in liver cells and inflammation and mild scarring of the liver. May be accompanied by symptoms that include nausea, fever, abdominal pain and jaundice.
  • Alcoholic Cirrhosis — Scar tissue replaces healthy soft liver tissue, and may cause nausea, abdominal pain, fever and jaundice. 

Diagnosis of ALD

Liver specialists begin by gathering a complete clinical history, including alcohol habits, and a physical examination to check for inflammation of the liver and other signs of liver disease. Blood tests called liver function tests show how well your liver is performing its various functions. A liver biopsy may be necessary to check for the presence of liver cell death due to steatosis (excessive fat deposits in liver cells caused by alcohol and obesity). 

Treatment for ALD

The foundation of alcoholic liver disease treatment is abstinence from alcohol. Our specialists may recommend an alcohol recovery program to help your liver recover or medication and therapy to manage complications. 

If your liver does not recover following abstinence, you may be referred to Sutter’s renowned Barry S. Levin, MD, Department of Transplant at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco.

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Managing Cirrhosis

Liver specialists in the Sutter Health network are expert in the care of liver diseases, many of which result in cirrhosis, the end stage of chronic liver diseases. We can help manage your cirrhosis and the complications that occur.

Liver Diseases and Transplant Research

Sutter Health Liver Diseases and Transplant Research
Hepatology researchers are investigating the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying hepatitis B, C and other liver diseases. Identifying early molecular or genetic changes - which may be detected before the disease manifests any clinical symptoms - could lead to interventions that reduce the severity of liver disease, or even prevent it from developing. Clinical researchers in the Liver Disease Management and Transplant Program are leading new investigations into hepatitis B and C disease management, hepatoma, hepatitis and HIV co-infection, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, hepatorenal syndrome, and the care of liver transplant patients.

Sutter Health Liver Diseases and Transplant Research Sutter Health Liver Diseases and Transplant Research

Services Near You

Mills-Peninsula Medical Center

Mills-Peninsula Medical Center

1501 Trousdale Drive

Burlingame, CA 94010

(650) 696-5400

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