What is the definition of cirrhosis?

Cirrhosis is defined as a chronic degenerative disease of the liver characterized by the progressive replacement of healthy liver tissue with scar tissue (fibrosis). This condition often stems from long-term damage to the liver due to various factors such as chronic alcohol abuse, viral hepatitis, and obesity-related liver disease. As cirrhosis advances, it impairs the liver’s ability to function, leading to a range of complications including liver failure.

The other options do not accurately define cirrhosis. Acute liver failure is a sudden loss of liver function that occurs rapidly, often in days or weeks, which is fundamentally different from the gradual progression seen in cirrhosis. Liver cancer refers to malignant tumors that form in the liver and can develop as a consequence of chronic liver diseases, including cirrhosis, but is not synonymous with the degenerative nature of cirrhosis itself. Fatty liver disease, while it can lead to cirrhosis, indicates a fat buildup in the liver rather than the scarring and dysfunction associated with chronic liver disease defined as cirrhosis.