Liver diseases

Located below the ribs, in the upper right part of the abdomen, the liver is the largest organ in the human body. It is made up of eight segments distributed in two lobes (the left and the right lobes).

The liver acts as a factory, providing the human body with a multitude of essential functions, including the synthesis of proteins (among them: blood coagulation factors), blood detoxification, the storage and regulation of sugar, the storage and regulation of lipids, and the storage of various vitamins (vitamin A) and minerals. 

In addition, the liver produces bile . A surplus of bile is stored in the gallbladder, which is attached to the liver, and is then excreted in the common bile duct which ends up in the duodenum at the level of the ampulla of Vater (along with the pancreatic duct).

The liver is also capable of self-regeneration: when a diseased part of the liver is removed, for example during surgery, the remaining liver  «grows back» with healthy tissue. The degree of recovery of liver functions, however, depends on the health status of the patient and the organ before the operation.