Final answer:
Cirrhosis is the scarring of the liver significant enough to impede blood circulation to hepatocytes and can cause portal hypertension as well as serious liver dysfunction.
Step-by-step explanation:
When there is scarring of the liver sufficient to permanently interfere with the circulation of blood to the hepatocytes, it is called cirrhosis. Cirrhosis involves the formation of fibrous tissue within the liver, replacing dead liver cells which can be caused by various factors such as viral hepatitis, alcoholism, or exposure to hepatotoxic chemicals. As a result of cirrhosis, portal hypertension can occur due to the obstruction of blood flow through the liver, leading to complications like the development of portal systemic anastomoses, where blood bypasses the liver and is not properly detoxified. Furthermore, the damaged liver in cirrhosis may lead to a severe loss of liver function, contributing to problems such as ascites and hepatic encephalopathy. Chronic liver failure often results from cirrhosis and in advanced cases, a liver transplant may be the only treatment option.