Best Doctors in India for Alcoholic Hepatitis Treatment
- Liver Transplant Surgeon and HPB Surgeon, Chennai, India
- Over 30 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. (Prof.) Mohamed Rela is known as one of the best liver transplant surgeons in the world. His name has also entered the Guinness Book of Records for performing liver transplantation of a 5-day-old baby.
- With more than 30 years of experience, Dr. Rela is known as a pioneer in liver transplantation & hepatopancreatobiliary (HPB) surgery.
- Dr. Mohamed Rela is the Chairman and Director of Dr. Rela Institute and Medical Centre, Chennai, India; and the Professor of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, at King’s College, Hospital in London as well.
- During his career of almost 30 years, Dr. Rela has performed over 4500 liver transplantations worldwide.
- Dentist, Gurugram, India
- Over 20 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Ravi S Batra is one of the most popular faces in the Department of Dentistry.
- He has 16 years of experience in treating patients who belong to different age groups.
- Dr. Batra has expert hands in diagnosing and treating orthodontic problems which mostly need surgical rectification.
- Pediatric Endocrinologist, Diabetologist, New Delhi, India
- Over 36 Years Experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. I.P.S. Kochar is one of the best Pediatric Endocrinologists in India, having over 36 years of experience. He is a senior consultant for Pediatric Endocrinology at the Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, New Delhi.
- Dr. Kochar is specialized in the treatment of Growth disorders, metabolic disease, Dyslipidemia, Thyroid Disorders, Osteoporosis, Jaundice, and other Endocrinology problems in children and adolescents. One can also consult Dr. Kochar for weight & height and diabetes management.
- He published numerous writing for many national and international journals.
- Orthopedic Surgeon, New Delhi, India
- Over 20 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Ramneek Mahajan is a well-known name in the field of Orthopedics and Joint Replacement surgery in India.
- His expertise lies in Primary and Revision Joint replacement surgeries and Arthroscopy. He has performed over 10000 orthopedic surgeries till date and also holds the credit for more than 2500 joint replacement surgeries.
- Dr. Mahajan received his Fellowship training in Arthroscopy and Joint Replacement from prestigious orthopedic centers in Singapore, Australia, and Germany.
- Pediatric Urologist, New Delhi, India
- Over 25 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Sujit Chowdhary is one of the best Pediatric urologists in Delhi, India.
- He has been practicing for over 25 years and is currently working as a senior consultant for Pediatric Urology & Director of the Apollo Institute of Pediatric Sciences, New Delhi.
- Dr. Sujit Chowdhary also won many awards for his contributions to the field.
- The doctor and his team established a premier robotic pediatric urology program in the Asia-Pacific.
- His unit takes care of newborn surgeries, robotic surgery, minimally invasive surgery, and many other subspecialties of the field.
- Dr. Sujit Chowdhary’s published peer reviews and citations complemented his experiences. He has written about 90 peer reviews and 350 citations.
- Neurosurgeon, Gurugram, India
- Over 32 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Rana Patir is one of the most experienced and highly qualified Neurosurgeons in India.
- He holds an extensive experience of 32+ years as a neurosurgeon and has performed more than 10,000 neurosurgical procedures till date.
- Dr. Patir is an expert in all kinds of neuro and spine surgeries with a specialization in minimally invasive brain and spine surgery, Epilepsy surgery, pediatric neurosurgery, and neurovascular surgery.
- Neurosurgeon and Spine Surgeon, Gurugram, India
- Over 15 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. S K Rajan is a renowned Neurosurgeon in Gurugram who specializes in open as well as minimally invasive spinal surgeries and has performed over 3000 complex spinal surgeries for diseases and disorders.
- Dr. S K Rajan’s expertise lies in Craniovertebral Junction and Lumbosacral Junction surgeries and is also an expert in spinal fracture surgeries, slipped discs, canal stenosis, and surgery for spinal tumors and spinal tuberculosis.
- Orthopedic Surgeon, New Delhi, India
- Over 30 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. S K S Marya is a highly renowned and acclaimed Orthopedic Surgeon in India and has performed over 15,000 joint replacement surgeries till date.
- He is one of the most experienced orthopedic surgeons specializing in joint replacement surgery of upper and lower limb joints (both primary and revision) and Trauma management according to AO principles.
- His surgical career in numbers is quite high with 3500 simultaneous knee replacement surgeries and over 3000 hip replacement surgeries.
- Obstetrician & Gynaecologist, New Delhi, India
- Over 22 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Sohani Verma is a well-known Gynecologist and Obstetrician in India, with approximately 22 years of experience in numerous treatments in these disciplines. Dr. Verma serves as a senior consultant at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals.
- She specializes in infertility and IVF treatments, and she also founded a sperm bank in the hospital in 2002. She has 22 years of IVF and infertility experience in the UK and India.
- Dr. Sohani Verma worked as the Academic Coordinator for the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals in New Delhi.
- Neurosurgeon and Spine Surgeon, New Delhi, India
- Over 25 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Completing over 9000 successful neurological procedures, and still counting, Dr. Sudhir Tyagi is one of the top-notch names in India, diligently catering to neurological assistance with his vast knowledge and adept expertise.
- In fact, Dr. Sudhir Tyagi is the first neurosurgeon to use the Image Fusion Technique to localize targets in the deep part of the brain to perform functional stereotactic surgeries. He has great experience in all types of brain and spine surgeries.
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.