What does betel nut liver mean?

Patients with betel liver are those who have severe central liver lobule bruising due to chronic liver stasis. The patient’s multiple bruised lobular areas are connected and form a dark red zone. The hepatocytes around the lobules are yellow due to fat infiltration, so this red and yellow color resembles the stripes of betel nut, hence the name betel nut liver. For patients with betel nut liver, it is mostly a case of liver stasis combined with fatty liver. For patients with liver stasis, the patient needs to be actively investigated for the possibility of right heart failure. After finding the cause, aggressive further treatment will be carried out according to the cause. Patients with fatty liver can be classified as mild, moderate or severe under ultrasound. In the case of mild fatty liver, it is recommended to exercise more and change the diet structure appropriately by eating less animal fat and more vegetables and fruits. For patients with moderate or severe fatty liver, in addition to the above mentioned lifestyle changes, they should also take oral simvastatin tablets or atorvastatin if necessary to actively lower their blood lipids.