肝(gan)(gan)(gan)纖(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)維(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)化(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)是一(yi)種(zhong)(zhong)伴隨多(duo)種(zhong)(zhong)慢(man)性肝(gan)(gan)(gan)病(bing)(bing)的(de)(de)肝(gan)(gan)(gan)臟(zang)(zang)病(bing)(bing)變(bian)，目前還沒(mei)(mei)有被認為是一(yi)種(zhong)(zhong)獨(du)立(li)的(de)(de)疾(ji)病(bing)(bing)。為理(li)解纖(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)維(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)化(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)，我們(men)(men)打個(ge)(ge)通俗的(de)(de)比方。假如(ru)我們(men)(men)體(ti)表(biao)(biao)的(de)(de)某處(chu)皮(pi)膚(fu)被弄(nong)破了，就(jiu)(jiu)會(hui)有傷(shang)(shang)口(kou)(kou)，等(deng)到傷(shang)(shang)口(kou)(kou)長好了，會(hui)留下疤(ba)痕(hen)。這(zhe)種(zhong)(zhong)疤(ba)痕(hen)由(you)纖(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)維(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)組織(zhi)(zhi)形(xing)成，結(jie)(jie)(jie)疤(ba)的(de)(de)過程(cheng)就(jiu)(jiu)叫纖(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)維(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)化(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)。如(ru)果(guo)傷(shang)(shang)口(kou)(kou)小(xiao)、切(qie)口(kou)(kou)整齊，缺損(sun)部(bu)分主要(yao)由(you)原來(lai)的(de)(de)皮(pi)膚(fu)組織(zhi)(zhi)增(zeng)(zeng)生來(lai)修復，形(xing)成的(de)(de)疤(ba)痕(hen)就(jiu)(jiu)少，纖(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)維(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)化(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)程(cheng)度(du)(du)(du)輕(qing)；反(fan)之(zhi)傷(shang)(shang)口(kou)(kou)大(da)、切(qie)口(kou)(kou)不(bu)(bu)齊，缺損(sun)部(bu)位不(bu)(bu)得不(bu)(bu)由(you)纖(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)維(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)組織(zhi)(zhi)來(lai)填充(chong)(chong)，這(zhe)樣形(xing)成的(de)(de)疤(ba)痕(hen)大(da)，纖(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)維(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)化(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)程(cheng)度(du)(du)(du)較重(zhong)。肝(gan)(gan)(gan)纖(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)維(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)化(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)情況類(lei)似于(yu)這(zhe)種(zhong)(zhong)結(jie)(jie)(jie)疤(ba)的(de)(de)過程(cheng)，不(bu)(bu)過結(jie)(jie)(jie)疤(ba)的(de)(de)場所是在肝(gan)(gan)(gan)臟(zang)(zang)。肝(gan)(gan)(gan)臟(zang)(zang)內(nei)因(yin)炎癥而損(sun)傷(shang)(shang)的(de)(de)肝(gan)(gan)(gan)細(xi)胞(bao)壞死后(hou)被機體(ti)清除，缺損(sun)的(de)(de)部(bu)位如(ru)被增(zeng)(zeng)生的(de)(de)肝(gan)(gan)(gan)細(xi)胞(bao)修復，則肝(gan)(gan)(gan)纖(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)維(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)化(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)程(cheng)度(du)(du)(du)輕(qing)甚至(zhi)沒(mei)(mei)有纖(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)維(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)化(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)；缺損(sun)的(de)(de)部(bu)位如(ru)被增(zeng)(zeng)生的(de)(de)纖(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)維(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)組織(zhi)(zhi)填充(chong)(chong)，肝(gan)(gan)(gan)纖(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)維(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)化(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)程(cheng)度(du)(du)(du)就(jiu)(jiu)較重(zhong)；如(ru)果(guo)纖(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)維(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)組織(zhi)(zhi)不(bu)(bu)斷(duan)增(zeng)(zeng)生，侵(qin)入肝(gan)(gan)(gan)組織(zhi)(zhi)內(nei)，破壞正常(chang)肝(gan)(gan)(gan)組織(zhi)(zhi)的(de)(de)結(jie)(jie)(jie)構，形(xing)成許多(duo)由(you)纖(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)維(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)組織(zhi)(zhi)包(bao)繞的(de)(de)結(jie)(jie)(jie)節，肝(gan)(gan)(gan)臟(zang)(zang)質(zhi)地變(bian)硬，這(zhe)就(jiu)(jiu)是肝(gan)(gan)(gan)硬化(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)。可見肝(gan)(gan)(gan)纖(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)維(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)化(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)是一(yi)種(zhong)(zhong)病(bing)(bing)理(li)過程(cheng)的(de)(de)概念，肝(gan)(gan)(gan)纖(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)維(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)化(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)和肝(gan)(gan)(gan)硬化(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)之(zhi)間(jian)是一(yi)個(ge)(ge)由(you)量變(bian)到質(zhi)變(bian)的(de)(de)關(guan)系。病(bing)(bing)理(li)專家們(men)(men)把肝(gan)(gan)(gan)纖(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)維(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)化(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)的(de)(de)病(bing)(bing)理(li)改(gai)變(bian)劃分為4個(ge)(ge)等(deng)級(ji)，稱為“期”，用S表(biao)(biao)示。S1表(biao)(biao)示肝(gan)(gan)(gan)纖(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)維(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)化(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)程(cheng)度(du)(du)(du)最(zui)輕(qing)，S4表(biao)(biao)示肝(gan)(gan)(gan)纖(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)維(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)化(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)程(cheng)度(du)(du)(du)最(zui)重(zhong)，已達到早期肝(gan)(gan)(gan)硬化(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)的(de)(de)程(cheng)度(du)(du)(du)。

一般而言，慢性肝病因肝臟持續性損傷，多會伴有肝纖維化。我國慢性肝病中以慢性乙型肝炎最多，慢性丙型肝炎也不少見。這兩類肝炎都因肝炎病毒復制，刺激了人體的免疫系統，造成免疫淋巴細胞在清除病毒時，“誤傷”肝細胞，產生肝臟內炎癥，誘導了纖維組織增生，致使肝纖維化。隨著人民生活水平的提高，我國酒精性肝病和非酒精性肝病的發病率不斷上升。這兩種肝病中較重的病變是脂肪性肝炎，如不積極治療，損傷的肝細胞也可刺激肝內纖維組織的大量增生，由肝纖維化發展到肝硬化。肝癌是各種肝病中最為兇險的疾病，常常同時伴有肝硬化。其他如藥物性肝病、代謝性肝病、自身免疫性肝病或血吸蟲病等，也與肝纖維化有染。由于每個患者體質情況和發病情況不一樣，纖維化的程度與病情的程度或病程的長短可能不成正比關系。

主要是通過兩大危害形成肝硬化：一是由于肝組織結構的破壞，使肝內血管受壓扭曲、閉鎖或動脈與靜脈之間出現“短路”吻合，造成門靜脈系統血管阻力增大，形成門靜脈高壓，導致脾腫大、腹水生成和胃底食管靜脈曲張，有上消化道曲張靜脈破裂出血的潛在危險；二是正常肝細胞之間的血液微循環通道因纖維組織成分的沉積而造成循環障礙，影響肝細胞的血液供應，使因炎癥受損的肝細胞不易修復甚至加重損傷，直至功能正常的肝細胞愈來愈少，最后導致肝功能衰竭。兩大危害都是致命的。

既然肝纖維化造成的危害很大、威脅生命，就一定要治療。由于肝纖維化是各種慢性肝病最后走向肝硬化的必由之路，因而在此階段抗肝纖維化治療，可以阻斷或減緩肝硬化的發生。即使肝癌手術后，也需要通過抗肝纖維化來治療并發的肝硬化。

10多年前，肝纖維化被認為是不可逆轉的。經過多年來科研人員的不懈努力，證明肝纖維化甚至早期肝硬化可以逆轉，肝纖維化的研究已是肝病學界的熱門課題。與大多數疾病的診療一樣，早診斷、早治療是治療肝纖維化的重要條件，有助于減輕、逆轉甚至治愈肝纖維化。對于肝硬化患者，抗肝纖維化治療可以減慢疾病發展的速度，延長生命。