Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.
Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.
The liver is the largest solid organ in the body, weighing on average
about 3.5 pounds.
The liver carries out a large number of critical functions, including
manufacture of essential proteins, and metabolism of fats and carbohydrates.
The liver also serves to eliminate harmful biochemical waste products
and detoxify alcohol, certain drugs, and environmental toxins.
The liver forms and secretes bile that contains bile acids to aid in the
digestion and intestinal absorption (taking in) of fats and the fat-soluble
vitamins A, D, E, and K.
Diseases that may affect the liver include hepatitis (inflammation of
the liver), cirrhosis (scarring),
fatty liver, and liver cancer
(hepatocellular carcinoma).
The liver is the largest solid organ in the body. People may not know that the liver is also the largest gland in the body. The liver is actually two different types of gland. It is a
secretory gland because it has a specialized structure that is designed to allow it to make and secrete bile into the bile ducts. It also is an
endocrine gland since it makes and secretes chemicals directly into the
blood that have effects on other organs in the body. Bile is a fluid that both
aids in digestion and absorption of fats as well as carries waste products into
the intestine.
There are all sorts of glands in the body that make and secrete substances, including the pancreas (digestive enzymes), thyroid and other endocrine glands (hormones), gastric glands in the stomach (acid), and
lymph glands or nodes (lymph).
Reviewed by William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR on 10/7/2011
Viewer question: My doctor told me that I have fatty liver and high
cholesterol. He also said that my liver is slightly inflamed because my
liver tests are mildly abnormal. He wants me to lose weight, exercise
and take Lipitor to lower my cholesterol. I also read that Lipitor can
have liver side effects. Is it safe to take Lipitor in somebody like me?
Doctor's response: Low dose statins like atorvastatin (Lipitor) are safe in patients with mild liver disease
(for example, patients with fatty liver and mildly abnormal liver
tests in the blood such as ALT and AST).
Liver disease can be cause by a variety of things including infection (hepatitis), diseases such as gallstones, high cholesterol or triglycerides, blood
Abdominal pain is pain in the belly and can be acute or chronic. Causes include inflammation, distention of an organ, and loss of the blood supply to an
Edema is the swelling of tissues as a result of excess water accumulations. Peripheral edema occurs in the feet and legs. There are two types of edema,
Itching can be a common problem. Itches can be localized or generalized. There are many causes of itching to include: infection (jock itch, vaginal itch),
Gallstones are stones that form when substances in the bile harden. Gallstones (formed in the gallbladder) can be as small as a grain of sand or as large
Liver cancer is the fifth most common cancer in the world and the majority of patients with liver cancer will die within one year as a result. Patients
Ascites, the accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity is most commonly caused by cirrhosis of the liver. Some of the other causes of ascites include
There are four major types of thyroid cancer: papillary, follicular, medullary, and anaplastic thyroid cancer. Tumors on the thyroid are referred to as
Alcoholism is a disease that includes alcohol craving and continued drinking despite repeated alcohol-related problems, such as losing a job or getting
Cholesterol is naturally produced by the body, and is a building block for cell membranes and hormones. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is the
Cystic fibrosis is a disease of the mucus and sweat glands. Cystic fibrosis is an inherited disease. The outcome of the disease leaves the body malnourished,
The hepatitis B virus (HBV, hep B) is a unique, coated DNA virus belonging to the Hepadnaviridae family of viruses. The course of the virus is determined
Nausea is an uneasiness of the stomach that often precedes vomiting. Nausea and vomiting are not diseases, but they are symptoms of many conditions. The
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) refers to a wide spectrum of liver disease ranging from simple fatty liver (steatosis), to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis
Sexually transmitted diseases, or STDs, are infections that are transmitted during any
type of sexual exposure, including intercourse (vaginal or anal),
Jaundice is a yellowish staining of the skin and whites of the eyes (sclerae) with bilirubin, the pigment found in bile. Jaundice can be an indicator of
Hepatitis is most often viral, due to infection with one of the hepatitis viruses (A, B, C, D, E, F (not confirmed), and G) or another virus (such as those
A bruise, or contusion, is caused when blood vessels are damaged or broken as the result of a blow to the skin. The raised area of a bump or bruise results
Primary Biliary Cirrhosis is a chronic disease characterized by progressive inflammation and destruction of small bile ducts within the liver. The bile
Hepatic hemangiomas are referred to as tumors, however, they not malignant and do not become cancerous. Hemangiomas can occur in the liver, however, they
Arsenic comes in two forms, inorganic and organic. Organic arsenic poisoning is usually not poisonous to humans; however, inorganic arsenic in large enough
Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver. Hepatitis A (HAV, Hep A) is one type of liver disease caused by a virus. Since hepatitis A is a virus, it can
Varices are dilated blood vessels usually in the esophagus or stomach. Symptoms of bleeding varices include vomiting blood, black stools, low blood pressure,
