On the "Yaşamaq Gözəldir" broadcast on ARB channel, I spoke about the fate of a patient diagnosed with cirrhosis for 30 years and the results of the examinations we conducted. It turned out that our patient Zahid Seyidmammedov's liver is completely healthy and he had been receiving unnecessary treatments for years.
The story of a patient living with a diagnosis of cirrhosis for 30 years
Our patient Zahid Seyidmammedov was hospitalized in 1984 due to jaundice that appeared on his face. Even after the treatment, the jaundice remained in his eyes, and various doctors he consulted told him that his liver was diseased and diagnosed him with liver cirrhosis. Over these years, the patient suffered from complaints such as fatigue, nausea, and the urge to vomit while eating, and took a large number of medications.
Modern examination and real results
When the patient came to our appointment, we examined his complaints and tests. Jaundice in the whites of the eyes is not necessarily an indicator of liver disease; this symptom can also occur in blood problems or autoimmune diseases. We performed elastography on Zahid muallim and obtained the following results:
- Liver dimensions are normal.
- The elastography result was 6.2 kilopascals, showing no cirrhotic signs in the liver.
- Tests reflecting the synthetic function of the liver are normal.
- The patient was found to have an enlarged spleen.
True diagnosis: Alpha-thalassemia
In order to determine the cause of the jaundice in the whites of the eyes in the absence of liver cirrhosis, I conducted a joint consultation with hematologist Sevinj Alfattahzade. The patient was diagnosed with alpha-thalassemia. This is a congenital, genetic problem and is found in endemic zones such as Shaki.
A person can live with this disease all their life, and they do not need liver treatment or piles of prescriptions. The patient's blood count may drop slightly, and the jaundice in his eyes may increase somewhat during fatigue and insomnia. Zahid muallim's liver is completely healthy, and he can now live his normal life free from unnecessary medications.