In France, it is estimated that 8 million people have a fatty liver. And among them, 12%, or around 900,000 people, suffer from non-alcoholic hepatic steatosis or MASH (formerly NASH). The causes are poor diet and a lack of physical activity, which can eventually degenerate into cirrhosis – even if the patient does not drink alcohol – or even cancer. From cirrhosis, different symptoms can appear: fluid leakage into the abdomen (ascites), disorientation, loss of control of the sphincters, inability to express oneself, etc.
A study from the Cleveland Clinic (USA) shows that bariatric surgery, which involves inducing significant weight loss, has significantly reduced the risk of developing serious complications for patients suffering from obesity and cirrhosis linked to NASH.Bariatric surgery was associated with a 72 % lower risk of developing serious complications of this liver disease,” says Dr. Ali Aminian, the study's first author. The results were published in the journal Nature Medicine.