Best Doctors in India for Alcoholic Hepatitis Treatment
- Neurosurgeon, Bengaluru, India
- Over 30 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Rajakumar V Deshpande is a renowned Neurosurgeon in Bengaluru. He performed the first pedicle screw fixation surgery for a spine injury in Bangalore.
- Dr. D V Rajakumar specializes in endoscopic neurosurgeries and has performed some of the most complex brain and spine surgeries through the endoscopic approach. His other areas of interest include minimally invasive neuro surgeries, management of cerebrovascular diseases, and brain tumor surgeries.
- Surgical Oncologist, Chennai, India
- Over 25 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Rajasundaram is a highly successful and experienced Surgical Oncologist with great expertise in performing laparoscopic cancer surgeries.
- He has over 25 years of experience in Surgical Oncology and has performed more than 15,000 cancer-related surgeries till date.
- His expertise lies in the treatment of various types of cancers including organ cancers, solid cancers, blood cancers, inherited cancers, and benign tumors.
- Cardio Thoracic & Vascular Surgeon, New Delhi, India
- Over 30 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Rajneesh Malhotra is a distinguished cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon in India with over 30 years of experience.
- He is an expert in all kinds of cardiac surgeries with a special interest in Robotic Cardiac surgery along with minimally invasive cardiac surgery and other traditional heart surgeries.
- Dr. Rajneesh Malhotra has performed several complex and high-risk cases and also specializes in heart transplant surgeries and surgeries for heart failure.
- Orthopedic Surgeon, Kolkata, India
- Over 30 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Rakesh Rajput is the Director and HOD – Orthopedics at The Calcutta Medical Research Institute (CMRI), Kolkata.
- Dr. Rakesh Rajput’s expertise lies in Joint replacement surgeries for the knee and hip, Arthroscopy, and Pelvic and Ace tabular trauma. He is also highly skilled in Minimally invasive orthopedic surgeries.
- Dr. Rakesh Rajput received his training in Joint replacement procedure from the prestigious University of Dundee and has worked and trained under some of the best orthopedic surgeons in the world.
- Orthopedic Surgeon & Spine Surgeon, Mumbai, India
- Over 25 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Ram Chaddha is a specialist Spine Surgeon in Mumbai with expertise in the management and treatment of all kinds of spinal disorders for over 25 years.
- Dr. Chaddha is trained in Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery and is also among the few surgeons in India to hold expertise in Minimally Invasive Cosmetic Spine Surgery.
- Dr. Ram Chaddha spent a considerable number of years training undergraduate and postgraduate students and has also been an examiner for such courses at Mumbai University.
- ENT, Head & Neck Onco Surgeon; Mumbai, India
- Over 30 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Sanjiv Badhwar is a well-known Head and Neck Onco surgeon in Mumbai.
- He specializes in head and neck surgery for cancer patients, cochlear implant surgery, robotic surgery to remove cancer of the head and neck region, voice disorder surgery, and other types of ENT surgeries.
- He holds an experience of over 30 years as an ENT specialist and has received advanced training from the Voice Institute in Portland, USA
- Surgical Oncologist, Hyderabad, India
- Over 20 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Sharan Kumar Shetty is a renowned Head and Neck Surgical Oncologist in Hyderabad currently associated with CARE Hospitals.
- He has experience of over 20 years in the field and is an expert in the treatment of cancers affecting the head and neck regions such as the oral cavity, larynx, pharynx, trachea, sinus, salivary gland, nose, and throat.
- Dr. Sharan Kumar Shetty’s expertise also lies in reconstructive cancer surgeries using free flap and pedicled flaps.
- Stroke Specialist & Neurologist, Mumbai, India
- Over 30 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Shirish M Hastak is one of the best Stroke Specialists in India with a specialization in Neurology.
- Dr. Hastak underwent training in stroke management under world-renowned neuroscientist, Dr. Vladimir Hachinski at the Western University of Canada.
- He holds more than 30 years of experience as a neurologist among which he has spent 2 decades mastering stroke management.
- Orthopedic Surgeon, Mumbai, India
- Over 24 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Shreyash Gajjar is one of the most accomplished Arthroscopic and Sports Orthopedic surgeons in India and has performed more than 3000 surgeries of which more than 2500 included arthroscopic surgeries.
- Dr. Shreyash Gajjar is the first orthopedic surgeon in India to perform several first surgeries with the use of arthroscopic procedures.
- Dr. Shreyash Gajjar received his training in Arthroscopy, Trauma, and Sports Medicine from the best orthopedic institutions and under the guidance of renowned surgeons in India, UK, and Australia.
- Orthopedic Surgeon, Gurugram, India
- Over 20 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Subhash Jangid is a renowned Orthopedic Surgeon in India who performs more than 600 joint replacement surgeries annually and helps in the management of patients after such procedures.
- He played a pioneering role in establishing the first Bone Bank in India at the All India Institute of Medical Science in 2002.
- He has been associated with several other prestigious hospitals both in India and abroad and has also been a Visiting faculty at Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital in Nigeria where he trains young surgeons in Arthroplasty.
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.