The liver has two vital roles to play: making (or processing) new chemicals, and neutralizing poisons and waste products. The liver is the largest organ in the body weighing between 1.36 and 1.81 kg (3 and 4 lb). It is only possible for the blood to get back to the heart and lungs from the stomach by first passing through a system of veins in the liver, known as the portal system.
A variety of things including viruses, drugs, environmental pollutants, genetic disorders and systemic diseases can affect the liver and stop it functioning properly. However, the liver has a marvelous capacity to renew itself and will usually return to normal once the causes are removed or eliminated.
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Fact File: If the kidneys do not work properly, they can become ‘furred’ up with hard crusts and crystals of chemicals from the urine. These deposits are called kidney stones. They can be removed by an operation, dissolved by drugs, or shattered into tiny fragments by high-energy ultrasonic sound waves. |
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