When there is too high level of copper accumulate in brain, liver or vital organs Wilson's disease occurs. It is an inherited disorder and its also degeneration of hepatolenticular. Copper is very important for building of collagen, healthy nerves, bones and melanin (skin pigment). Produced through food copper is used enough but any extra amount of copper gets to be a threat for liver. Wilson’s disease makes copper stay in, instead of being eliminated and accumulated which makes a life-threatening state. It is also important for Wilson's disease to be diagnosed in early stage.
Diagnosis
Symptoms of Wilson’s disease are often invisible and are not different from any other liver disease, the condition may be similar to hepatitis and symptoms get to develop through time. Only combination of symptoms and results of tests can make proper diagnosis. This is what is necessary to do in order to discover Wilson’s disease on time:
a) - Examination of Eyes A high-intensity light source and an ophthalmologist examine the eyes for Kayser-Fleischer rings. It is the condition caused by deposits of too much copper in the eyes.
b) - Blood & Urine Tests. Blood tests are done to monitor the function of liver and the amount of copper in blood and level of a protein that carry copper in blood while urine tests measures copper in urine for 24-hour.
c) - Brain Scans If Wilson's disease is influence on brain, there are tests for brain. Tests I am talking about are magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computerized tomography (CT).
d) - Testing a Liver TissueLiver biopsy includes a thin needle pierced through skin into a liver. Needle draws out a sample of liver tissue, on which laboratory tests are checking for extra copper in the body.
e) - Genetic TestingDNA mutation analysis, a blood tests identify genetic mutations for Wilson's disease. If the Wilson's disease runs in family, doctor may prescribe begin treatment on time, before debilitating symptoms start to show up and Wilson's disease starts to develop.
Complications
Complications due to a Wilson's disease are possible. Liver failure and cracked central nervous system or spinal cord may be common and life-threatening, if it is not treated on time. The complications include: hepatitis, anemia, injury, liver cirrhosis, jaundice, dysfunction of spleen, fatty liver, liver tissues failure, psychological complications, central nervous system complications, loss of will, loss of ability to function, loss of ability to communicate with people, muscle atrophy, more bone fractures, more infections, deformity of joint contractures and side effects of treat Wilson medications.
And these are just light complications. Of course due to a seriousness of Wilson disease there are other far more serious complications such as:
- Kidney problems Wilson's disease destroys kidneys, and light symptoms may be kidney stones or aminoaciduria - lot of amino acids in urine.
- Cirrhosis of LiverExcess copper does damage liver and scar tissue appears and liver function badly.
- Persistent Neurological ProblemsA progress of Wilson's disease creates neurological problems but no matter of treatment there may be constant neurological difficulty.
- Liver failureAcute liver failure causes liver failure and may happen slowly, in the worse cases a liver transplant is necessary.
- Liver cancerWilson's disease may cause liver cancer.
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