Primary Biliary Cirrhosis

The current treatment for primary biliary cirrhosis is a bile acid medication, called ursodeoxycholate. Although this medication does not cure the condition, it slows its progression. For advanced staged primary biliary cirrhosis, in which the liver is severely damaged, a liver transplant is the only option.

The UCSF Liver Transplant Program, which integrates the efforts of gastroenterologists and surgeons, performs over 100 transplants each year, making it one of the leading programs in the U.S. Survival statistics are among the very best in the country. Liver transplant is recommended for people whose primary biliary cirrhosis causes severe liver damage or progresses to liver failure. The evaluation for a transplant is complex and generally requires several months. Therefore, even if a patient is feeling well, they should be referred for a transplant at the first sign of liver failure or if they have advanced liver disease diagnosed by X-ray studies or liver biopsy.