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Liver steatosis
Last reviewed: 05.07.2025
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Liver steatosis combines several pathological processes that ultimately lead to the appearance of fatty deposits in liver tissue.
This pathology can be focal and diffuse. In focal steatosis, there are crowded fat deposits, and in diffuse steatosis, the fat is located over the entire surface of the organ.
Steatosis occurs regardless of age, but is most often diagnosed after 45 years, when the body has been exposed to various negative factors for quite a long time. Non-alcoholic steatosis mainly affects women, usually due to obesity. Men who abuse alcohol are most often susceptible to alcoholic steatosis.
ICD-10 code
Liver diseases, including hepatic steatosis, are located in ICD 10 in sections K70-K77.
Causes of liver steatosis
Steatosis of the liver occurs due to metabolic disorders in diabetes, obesity, etc. Steatosis can also be associated with diseases of the digestive organs, which results in impaired absorption of nutrients, as well as poor nutrition (frequent diets, regular overeating).
Alcohol and medications have a strong toxic effect on the liver, which can also cause steatosis.
Fatty liver poisoning not caused by alcohol abuse is called non-alcoholic steatosis, a pathology that often affects overweight people.
Steatosis is most common in women, overweight people, people over 45 years of age, people with type 2 diabetes, and those with a hereditary predisposition.
Symptoms of fatty liver disease
Liver steatosis, at the initial stages, is practically asymptomatic, often the disease has a chronic form. Steatosis may not manifest itself for a long time, and a person learns about the disease after a medical examination.
The main symptoms of the disease include weakness, nausea, pain in the right hypochondrium, enlarged liver, decreased immunity (as a result, a person is susceptible to frequent viral infections).
With steatosis, the outflow of bile is disrupted, bile stagnation may occur, while the skin becomes yellowish, itching, pain, nausea, and vomiting appear.
Steatosis of the liver and pancreas
Steatosis of the liver and pancreas is characterized by the replacement of healthy cells with fat. At the first stages of the disease, there are practically no symptoms, however, there are several points that will help to recognize the onset of the disease.
When steatosis begins, a person may be bothered by frequent diarrhea, bloating, heartburn, and food allergies (which were not observed before).
Then, after eating, you may begin to feel a girdle pain on the left side under the rib, radiating to the back.
When such symptoms appear, people usually seek medical help.
During the examination, changes in the tissues of the pancreas, metabolic disorders, and fatty layers in the pancreas are revealed.
Diffuse steatosis of the liver
The diagnosis of hepatic steatosis is made if fatty deposits occupy more than 10% of the total volume of the liver. The maximum accumulation of fat occurs in the second and third liver lobes; in severe cases of the disease, fatty inclusions are diffusely located.
In diffuse steatosis, liver tissue is uniformly affected by fatty deposits.
In the early stages of the disease, fat does not harm liver cells; as the disease progresses, functional liver tissues gradually begin to die off, and then irreversible processes occur (changes in liver cells and lobules).
Fatty liver disease
Fatty liver steatosis leads to enlargement of the organ, changes the color of the liver to yellowish or dark red. Due to damage to the liver by fat, the cells of the organ die, fatty cysts form in the organ, and connective tissue begins to grow.
Often fatty steatosis occurs without visible symptoms; in most cases, the disease is detected during an ultrasound examination.
Progression of fatty steatosis is observed quite rarely. If steatosis occurs together with liver inflammation, then 10% of patients may develop cirrhosis, in 1/3 – connective tissue in the organ grows and thickens.
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Alcoholic steatosis of the liver
Alcoholic steatosis of the liver is caused by chronic alcohol intoxication and leads to initial changes in the structure of the liver.
The disease can occur for several reasons, the most common is alcohol abuse, and the more and more often a person drinks, the faster and more severe the pathological process in the liver.
Such manifestations of steatosis are usually reversible and decrease within a month after a person stops drinking.
But despite this, alcoholic steatosis of the liver progresses and leads to serious damage to the organ. According to clinical studies, steatosis is associated with the risk of developing chronic liver diseases.
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Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
Non-alcoholic steatosis of the liver occurs due to excess fatty deposits in the organ. This form of steatosis is also called fatty disease, fatty degeneration, infiltration.
If this pathology is not treated, 10% of patients subsequently have an increased risk of developing fibrosis or cirrhosis, and 14% develop inflammatory processes in the liver.
Non-alcoholic steatosis of the liver is formed mainly in diabetes mellitus type 2, rapid weight loss, obesity, intravenous administration of nutrients into the body, disruption of the intestinal microflora, as a result of drug treatment (anti-cancer, corticosteroids, antiarrhythmic, etc.).
Focal steatosis of the liver
Focal steatosis of the liver indicates a benign formation in the organ. Diagnosis of these pathologies is carried out using instrumental examination, most often focal steatosis is detected by ultrasound.
Formations can be detected in one or both lobes of the liver.
Diagnosis of liver steatosis
Liver steatosis is diagnosed based on clinical data and laboratory tests.
Also, radionuclide scanning, ultrasound, and laparoscopic examination of internal organs are used to diagnose steatosis.
The diagnosis of steatosis is made after an aspiration biopsy, which allows the liver tissue to be examined.
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Liver steatosis grade 1
Stage I liver steatosis is characterized by accumulations of fatty deposits in liver cells, while the structure of the cells is not disturbed.
Liver steatosis grade 2
Second-degree steatosis of the liver is characterized by irreversible changes in liver cells; multiple fatty cysts appear in the liver tissue.
Moderate hepatic steatosis
Moderate steatosis of the liver is characterized by the accumulation of neutral fats in liver cells in small quantities, which does not lead to irreversible processes and does not destroy the cell structure.
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Treatment of liver steatosis
Steatosis of the liver is a rather serious disease, the treatment of which should be based on reducing the causes of the pathological process in the liver. During treatment, the patient should not be physically or mentally overtired. During remission, minor physical activity will help reduce degenerative changes in the liver.
Nutrition during treatment is an important point, since it is the diet that helps reduce the load on the liver, restore the organ's function, and improve the patient's overall well-being. In addition, medications are used (lipoic acid, lipotropes, hepatoprotectors). At the discretion of the specialist, folic acid or anabolic steroids may be prescribed.
Treatment of liver steatosis with drugs
Liver steatosis is a pathology that develops for various reasons, in this regard, drug treatment is prescribed in each individual case, taking into account the patient's condition, the degree of organ damage, and examination data.
Drugs are prescribed to improve fat metabolism (vitamin B4, B12, lipoic or folic acid).
As part of complex therapy, hepatoprotectors are prescribed (Carsil, Essentiale, Heptral, etc.).
Patients with steatosis are advised to engage in running, swimming or gymnastics, especially if they are obese or have diabetes.
In case of alcoholic steatosis of the liver, the basis of treatment is absolute abstinence from alcohol, after which medications can be taken.
At the first stage of the disease, treatment shows good results; usually, during treatment, liver function is completely restored and fatty deposits disappear.
In the second stage of the disease, if all the doctor’s prescriptions are followed, therapy also shows good results.
Stage three liver steatosis is characterized by the most severe damage to the organ, in which case irreversible processes have already begun. Treatment in this case is based on preventing further disintegration of liver cells.
Treatment of liver steatosis with folk remedies
Liver steatosis can be treated with traditional medicine (primary or adjuvant treatment).
Eating bran steamed with boiling water will help the liver to free itself from fatty deposits (you need to eat 2 tablespoons of bran during the day).
You can improve blood flow in the liver with a decoction of corn silk, calendula, and dandelion roots.
Treatment of liver steatosis with herbs
In the early stages, steatosis of the liver can be successfully treated at home using herbs.
To prepare the herbal infusion, you will need to take 2 tablespoons of calendula, 2 tablespoons of goldenrod, 1 tablespoon of celandine herb, 2 tablespoons of elecampane, 4 tablespoons of leuzea root.
Or 4 tbsp. elecampane, 4 tbsp. gentian, 3 tbsp. calamus, 4 tbsp. mint, 2 tbsp. birch buds, 2 tbsp. motherwort, 2 tbsp. dandelion roots, 2 tbsp. couch grass root.
2 tbsp. of herbal collection (mix all the ingredients and grind in a meat grinder or coffee grinder) pour a liter of boiling water, put on the stove and bring to a boil. Then boil the broth over low heat for about 10 minutes under a closed lid. Pour the resulting broth into a thermos and leave for at least 12 hours.
Take half a glass of the decoction half an hour before meals; you can add honey, sugar, or jam to improve the taste.
You should drink the decoction for at least three to four months, then take a break for two weeks and repeat the treatment.
Steatosis of the liver can be treated with herbs for more than one year, and simultaneous use of medications is also allowed.
Improvement of the condition against the background of herbal treatment usually occurs after a month of regular use, but lasting results can only be achieved after a long and systematic course of treatment (a year or more).
Diet for fatty liver disease
Liver steatosis occurs due to metabolic disorders, so special attention is paid to nutrition during treatment. In case of steatosis, it is recommended to consume more products rich in vitamins and with limited fat content.
It is best to give preference to porridges (oatmeal, buckwheat), fermented milk products (cottage cheese). In case of obesity, carbohydrate consumption should be limited.
Diet for liver steatosis
Fatty liver disease is associated with the accumulation of fat in the body, so a low-fat diet is an important part of treatment.
During treatment, it is better to consume fermented milk and plant products, as well as products containing easily digestible protein.
The diet may include fresh vegetables, cottage cheese, berries, fruits, whole grain cereals, bran, and a small amount of vegetable oil.
With steatosis, it is necessary to avoid fresh baked goods, fried pies, donuts, etc., fatty meats and fish, broths, okroshka, borscht, salty, sour, smoked foods (especially fast foods and carbonated drinks).
You should also not eat fried or hard-boiled eggs, strong tea, coffee, garlic, onions, radishes, legumes, or mayonnaise.
Prevention of liver steatosis
Steatosis of the liver can be prevented by timely treatment of diseases that provoke pathological processes (diabetes, obesity, chronic diseases of the digestive system), and proper and nutritious nutrition.
When taking corticosteroids, anticancer drugs, etc., it is necessary to take drugs that improve fat metabolism for prevention.
Prognosis of liver steatosis
Liver steatosis at the initial stages of the disease has a favorable prognosis for the patient. The disease is more difficult to treat at the last stages, when irreversible processes have already begun in the liver cells.
In case of alcoholic steatosis, a positive effect is observed after several weeks of treatment (provided that the patient completely abstains from alcohol).
A fatal outcome in this pathology can occur due to liver failure, as well as as a result of bleeding from the esophageal veins.
Liver steatosis is primarily caused by toxic effects on the liver due to metabolic disorders, poisoning, alcohol abuse, etc. With steatosis, excess fatty inclusions appear in the liver cells, which over time (often after several years) lead to cell rupture and the formation of a fatty cyst.
An unhealthy lifestyle, alcohol abuse, unbalanced diet, obesity, improper treatment (or complete lack of treatment) of diseases of the digestive organs or metabolic processes in the body - all this becomes the cause of severe pathological, sometimes irreversible, processes in the liver.