Best Doctors in India for Alcoholic Hepatitis Treatment
- Gynae Oncologist, Gurugram, India
- Over 25 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Rama Joshi is an extensively skilled and professional Gynae oncologist in India who specializes in Gyne onco surgery and Robotic surgery for ovarian and other gynecological cancers.
- Dr. Joshi provides treatment and management for cancers of the ovaries, uterus, and cervix and performs all types of gynae onco surgeries.
- She received her training in cancer surgery and robotic surgery from prestigious institutes in France and the USA.
- Cardio Thoracic & Vascular Surgeon, New Delhi, India
- Over 30 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Bhaba Nanda Das is a well-known cardiovascular and cardiothoracic surgeon and has performed the first Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG) on a beating heart in India.
- He has performed over 20,000 cardiac surgeries and does more than 800 cardiac surgeries annually.
- With a keen interest in cardiovascular and thoracic procedures, Dr. Das is the first cardiac surgeon to use all arterial grafts for multiple coronary revascularizations. He was also the first to use coronary sinus in Fontan’s circulation.
- Hemato Oncologist & BMT Specialist, New Delhi, India
- Over 15 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Dharma Choudhary is a renowned Hemato Oncologist who has more than a decade of experience in the field and is one of the best doctors in India for Hemato-Oncology.
- Dr. Choudhary is an expert in bone marrow transplantation for leukemia in adults, stem cell transplant for leukemia, and lymphoma (blood cancer) in adults and his expertise also lies in the treatment of solid tumors and various benign blood disorders.
- Dr. Choudhary holds the credit of performing some of the most complex bone marrow transplants in India and has had several successful results to his name.
- Plastic & Cosmetic Surgeon, Gurugram, India
- Over 25 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Rakesh Kumar Khazanchi is the Chairman of Plastic, Aesthetic, and Reconstructive Surgery at Medanta.
- With over 25 years of surgical experience, Dr. Rakesh Khazanchi specializes in cosmetic surgery, reconstructive microsurgery, vascular malformations, replantation of amputated parts as well as head and neck reconstruction.
- Dr. Khazanchi has undertaken 22 research projects, has published over 60 papers in national and international journals, and has also contributed over four chapters in textbooks as well as edited and authored a book of Plastic Surgery for General Surgeons.
- Urologist, New Delhi, India
- Over 30 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Vipin Arora is a well-known Urologist in Delhi who has been practicing for more than 30 years with success.
- Currently, he is working as a senior consultant for Urology & Andrology at Apollo Hospital, New Delhi.
- Dr. Arora specializes in prostate diseases, Uro-Oncological surgeries, and laparoscopy procedures. He is the frontrunner in Robotically- assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy, Urologic oncology.
- Dr. Arora pioneered the Robotic Prostate Surgery technique in India.
- He also offers CAPD, Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy, Flexible Ureteroscopy, Laser treatment, Polycystic Kidneys treatment, Cadaver and Live Renal Transplant, GU prosthetics, Stress Incontinence surgery TVT TOT, and TURP.
- Nephrologist, Gurugram, India
- Over 18 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Sidharth Kumar Sethi is one of the well-known nephrologists in the NCR region and has been actively involved in the care of children with all kinds of complex renal disorders, including nephrotic syndrome, tubular disorders, urinary tract infections, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, and renal transplantation.
- Dr. Sidharth Kumar Sethi has been a part of an 8-member writing committee for the guidelines of Steroid Sensitive Nephrotic Syndrome and an Expert committee involved in the formulation of guidelines for Pediatric Renal Disorders including Steroid Resistant Nephrotic Syndrome and urinary tract infections.
- General Surgeon, New Delhi, India
- Over 35 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Neel Shah is one of the top General Surgeons in India and is a Specialist in abdominal surgery. He possesses an elaborate experience of over 35 years in the field.
- He is engaged as a senior consultant General Surgeon with Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi.
- Dr. Shah is also a Laparoscopic surgeon, practicing as an expert Thyroid & Endocrine General Surgeon, Gastrointestinal surgeon, and advanced Laparoscopic surgeon.
- He offers Hernia Repair Surgery, Abscess treatment, Amputation, Mastectomy, Gall Bladder removal, cyst removal, and more in adults and children.
- Neurosurgeon, Gurugram, India
- Over 25 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Aditya Gupta is one of the top Neurosurgeons in India who co-founded the Institute of Neurosciences at Medanta and functioned there as the Additional Director of the Department of Neurosurgery.
- He is an active member of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (US), Neurological Society of India, International Gamma Knife Society Treasurer, Indian Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, and Skull Base Surgery Society.
- Surgical Gastroenterologist, New Delhi, India
- Over 29 years experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Deepak Govil is one of the best Surgical Gastroenterologists in India, having over 29 years of experience in GI procedures. He has worked as a senior Gastro and laparoscopic surgeon at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals.
- Dr. Govil, the founder of PSRI’s Department of GI Surgery, has done a lot of significant GI surgical interventions.
- He is well-known for having done liver transplants upon living donors. At Apollo Hospital, he has performed over 2000 surgeries that include the liver, gastrointestinal tract, and laparoscopic procedures.
- In addition to his fieldwork, Dr. Govil has taught at prestigious medical institutes in Delhi.
- Ophthalmologist, Gurugram, India
- Over 35 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Careen Pakrasi is one of the best ophthalmologists in Gurugram. She practiced as a senior resident in Safdarjung Hospital from 1994 to 1996. Dr. Carreen Pakrasi is also a post-graduate Diploma holder in hospital management from IHFW.
- Dr. Careen Pakrasi has over three decades of rich professional experience in her field. Her area of interest lies in the treatment of Cataracts, Refractive Surgery, Glaucoma, and UVEA. She used to be the director of Pakrasi eye associates from 1996 to 2013.
Best Hospitals in India for Alcoholic Hepatitis Treatment
ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS
Alcoholic hepatitis is a liver infection, which is mainly caused by frequent, heavy use of alcohol. Fat can build up in the liver cells, which might lead to inflammation as well as scarring of the liver.
Alcoholic hepatitis might be mild or severe. A patient might even need a liver transplant if proper treatment is not provided, or if they don’t stop consumption of alcohol.
It is also notable that all heavy drinkers don’t develop this condition, and sometimes this condition even develops in people who drink moderately. However, if you are diagnosed with this condition, it is important for you to quit drinking alcohol. People who continue drinking alcohol might face a huge risk of serious liver damage as well as death.
Symptoms
Depending on the amount of damage to the liver, the symptoms can vary. If you are having a mild form of the disease, you might not even experience any symptoms at all. However, as the damage continues to grow, you might experience the following:
- Changes in appetite
- Dry mouth
- Weight loss
- Pain or swelling in the abdomen
- Jaundice, or yellowing of the skin or eyes
- Fever
- Nausea and vomiting
- Easy bleeding or bruising
- Changes in your mental state, including confusion
- Fatigue
The symptoms of this condition are similar to those caused by a few other health conditions. Therefore, if you develop any of these symptoms, it is best to get a proper diagnosis as well as begin treatment.
Causes & risk factors
Alcoholic hepatitis generally develops when the alcohol you drink causes damage to your liver. However, it is not clear why alcohol does this damages only to some heavy drinkers.
Few factors that are known to play a role in this condition include:
- The body’s process that breaks down alcohol produces some toxic chemicals
- These chemicals can trigger inflammation that can destroy the liver cells
- Thus, over time, scars replace healthy liver tissue, thus interfering with the function of the liver
- This irreversible scarring, which is also termed cirrhosis, is the final stage of alcoholic liver disease
If you have hepatitis C and continue to drink, even moderately, you are more likely to develop cirrhosis.
Some heavy drinkers are also malnourished because they don’t eat a proper balanced diet. Alcohol and its byproducts also prevent the body from absorbing nutrition properly. Lack of nutrition can contribute to liver cell damage.
Some other risk factors that can lead to this condition include:
- Your sex- Women are usually at a higher risk of developing alcoholic hepatitis since the way alcohol is processed in women is different.
- Binge drinking- Having over five drinks within two hours for men and four or more for women can increase the risk of alcoholic hepatitis.
- Obesity- Heavy drinkers who are overweight are also more likely to develop alcoholic hepatitis and to progress from that condition to cirrhosis.
- Race and ethnicity- Hispanic and Negroid people might be at higher risk of alcoholic hepatitis.
- Genetic factors- According to studies, there may be a genetic component in alcohol-induced liver disease. However, it is difficult to separate genetic and environmental factors.
Diagnosis
If you are showing symptoms of alcoholic hepatitis, your doctor will first inquire about your medical history and alcohol consumption. Next, he/she will perform a physical exam to see if you have an enlarged liver or spleen. They might also need a few more tests to confirm your diagnosis, such as:
- Complete blood count (CBC)
- Liver function test
- Ultrasound of the liver
- Abdominal CT scan
- Blood clotting tests
In some cases, a liver biopsy might also be needed to confirm the diagnosis of alcoholic hepatitis. A liver biopsy requires your doctor to remove a tissue sample from your liver, which is then tested in the lab. This method helps to show the severity and type of liver disease.
Treatment
Stopping alcohol consumption is the most important treatment for alcoholic hepatitis. There is no cure for this condition, but treatment can help in reducing or eliminating symptoms, or stopping its progression.
It is also important to note that scarring of the liver is permanent, but treatment can aim to restore as much function as possible.
Dietary changes
Your doctor might also recommend dietary changes, vitamin supplements, or a focused diet plan to correct the imbalance of nutrients in the body.
Medication
Doctors might also prescribe medicines to prevent inflammation of the liver.
Liver transplant
In severe cases, the only chance for survival may be a liver transplant. Unfortunately, in such cases, the process of finding a donor can be long and complicated.
The best hope of recovery is to be aware of the signs and symptoms as well as to reduce, manage, or if possible, completely stop consumption of alcohol.
Complications
Alcoholic hepatitis might lead to severe other complications such as:
- Enlarged veins (varices)- In this condition, blood that is unable to flow freely through the portal vein, can back up into other blood vessels in your esophagus or stomach.
- Hepatic encephalopathy- This condition can be caused by the buildup of toxins if your damaged liver is unable to remove all the toxins from your body. It involves confusion, drowsiness, and slurred speech.
- Ascites- Ascites is a condition in which the fluid that accumulates in the abdomen may get infected and thus, require treatment with antibiotics. Although this condition is not life-threatening, it can be a sign of advanced alcoholic hepatitis, or cirrhosis.
- Kidney failure- A damaged liver affects blood flow to the kidneys, thus resulting in kidney failure.
- Cirrhosis- The scarring of the liver might lead to liver failure.
Prevention
Alcoholic hepatitis might be prevented if you take the following steps:
- Drink alcohol in moderation, if at all- For healthy adults, moderate drinking means no more than one drink a day for women of all ages and men older than 65, and not over two drinks a day for men aged 65 and younger. However, if you prevent all alcohol, it is a certain way to prevent this condition.
- Check before mixing medications and alcohol- Ask your doctor if it’s safe to drink alcohol while you are taking medications. Consider reading the warning labels on over-the-counter medications as well. Don’t drink alcohol when you are taking medications that warn of complications when combined with alcohol.
- Protect yourself from hepatitis C- Hepatitis C is an infectious liver disease that is caused by a virus. If it is left untreated, it may lead to cirrhosis. If you are having hepatitis C and you consume alcohol, you’re generally more likely to develop cirrhosis than if you don’t drink.