Best Doctors in India for Hepatitis C treatment
- Medical Gastroenterologist and Hepatologist, New Delhi, India
- Over 30 years experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Yogesh Batra is one of the best medical gastroenterologists in New Delhi, India.
- Dr. Batra specializes in therapeutic endoscopy (EUS, ERCP), hepatology, pancreatic disease, and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). He has successfully performed a variety of diagnostic and therapeutic GI procedures on hundreds of patients throughout his career.
- Gastroenterologist, Gurugram, India
- Over 15 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Pawan Rawal continued to work in PGIMER, Chandigarh after completing his DM for the next few years and gained proficiency in clinical Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and its application to patient care.
- He has performed several adults and pediatric upper G I endoscopies/ colonoscopies, ERCPs, capsule endoscopies, and push and double-balloon enteroscopy. Dr. Pawan Rawal is quite experienced in performing all kinds of therapeutic procedures.
- Liver Transplant Surgeon and HPB Surgeon, New Delhi, India
- Over 33 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Subhash Gupta is one of the finest Gastrointestinal and Liver Transplant Surgeons in the country. He has garnered an outstanding reputation in the field of Biliary, pancreas, and liver transplantation.
- He has conducted over 300 Living Donor Liver Transplants in the year 2013 each lasting 10-16 hours long.
- Dr. Subhash Gupta is also known to pioneer the development of Living Donor Transplant or LDLT.
- Gastroenterologist, New Delhi, India
- Over 27 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Avnish Kumar Seth is a well-renowned name in the field of gastroenterology. With fellowships in Liver transplant (Birmingham, UK) and Endoscopic ultrasound (South Carolina Alabama, USA), Dr. Avnish Seth’s areas of interest include treatment of hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, liver transplantation, and advanced GI endoscopic procedures.
- Dr. Avnish Kumar Seth has over two decades of experience in Gastroenterology Hepatobiliary Sciences. An expert in Diagnostic Therapeutic GI Endoscopy, Colonoscopy, ERCP, and Liver Transplantation.
- 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.
- Medical Gastroenterologist, New Delhi, India
- Over 45 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. D K Bhargava is a Medical Gastroenterologist working at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi.
- He has 45 years of experience in his field.
- Dr. Bhargava was a Professor of Gastroenterology at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi formerly.
- Some of the services he provides are Colonoscopy, Gastroenteritis Treatment, Acidity Treatment, and Irritable Bowel Syndrome Treatment.
- Exceptionally qualified Dr. D K Bhargava has received the Padma Shri Award and Dr. B C Roy National Award from the President of India.
- He has published more than 150 articles, papers, and journals throughout his career.
- He is a member of the American Gastroenterological Association, Indian Society of Gastroenterology and American College of Gastroenterology.
- Pediatric Gastroenterologist, New Delhi, India
- Over 26 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Anupam Sibal is one of the best Pediatric Gastroenterologists in Delhi, having nearly 26 years of experience in treating GI and liver disorders.
- He is a senior consultant for Pediatric Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, Delhi. Additionally, he is working as Group Medical Director of Apollo Hospitals.
- He has expertise in Congenital Disorders Evaluation & Treatment, Growth & Development Management, injuries in children, and complete Paediatric health checkups.
- Dr. Sibal went for International certifications and training to improvise.
- Dr. Sibal won many National and International Awards for his excellent work.
- Besides authoring 99 medical writing Dr. Sibal has written a bestselling book, “Is Your Child Ready to Face the World?” and edited/proofread a textbook on Gastroenterology & Hepatology.
- Liver Transplant Surgeon & HPB Surgeon, Gurugram, India
- Over 15 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Giriraj Singh Bora is a liver transplant surgeon, who is known for being the founder member of the Liver Transplant Society of India.
- He is the first doctor to transplant a liver in Rajasthan. He is also known for carrying out the first deceased donor and the first living donor liver transplants in Rajasthan and has also been instrumental in starting a liver transplant program in the region.
- Gastroenterologist, New Delhi, India
- Over 20 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Vivek Raj is a well-known Gastroenterologist with a clinical experience of 20 years in the field.
- His medical interests are managing ERCP, Liver Diseases, and Colonoscopy.
- He is a member of various renowned organizations.
- Gastroenterologist, Gurugram, India
- Over 30 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Gourdas Choudhuri is a gastroenterologist, medical educator, researcher of national eminence, as well as a columnist and philanthropist.
- He completed his training at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi and was the first specialist to start Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS) and Extra Corporeal Shockwave Biliary Lithotripsy (ESWL) in India.
- It was under Dr. Gourdas Choudhuri’s expert leadership and supervision the prestigious department of Gastroenterology at Sanjay Gandhi PostgraduateInstitute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, developed into one of the top five in the country.
Best Hospitals in India for Hepatitis C treatment
Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, New Delhi
- City: New Delhi, India
Hospital Highlights:
- Indraprastha Apollo Hospital is a 700-bedded multispecialty hospital in the heart of the capital of India. It is a part of Apollo Hospital group, one of India’s most reputed healthcare chains. Indraprastha Apollo Hospital has been accredited by Joint Commission International, making it the first internationally accredited hospital in the country in 2005.
- There are 52 specialties in the hospital with one of the best cardiology centers in the country. The hospital is also equipped with State of the art infrastructure facilities with the largest Sleep Lab in Asia and the largest number of ICU bed facilities in India.
- The hospital also has one of the largest dialysis units in India along with a dedicated Bone Marrow Transplant unit.
- The latest and highly advanced technologies that are installed in the hospital include Da Vinci Robotic Surgery System, PET-MR, PET-CT, Cobalt-based HDR Brachytherapy, Brain Lab Navigation System, Tilting MRI, Portable CT scanner, 3 Tesla MRI, 128 Slice CT scanner, DSA Lab, Endosonography, Hyperbaric Chamber and Fibro scan.
Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram
- City: Gurugram, India
Hospital Highlights:
- Fortis Memorial Research Institute is a multi-super-specialty, quaternary care hospital with 1000 beds. The hospital comprises reputed clinicians, and international faculty and is also equipped with cutting-edge technology. The hospital is a part of Fortis Healthcare Limited, a reputed chain of private hospitals in India.
- It is a NABH-accredited hospital that is spread across 11 acres of land and has a capacity of 1000 beds. The hospital has 55 specialties and is one of the premier health care centers in the Asia Pacific region popularly known as “the Mecca of Healthcare”.
- The hospital has 260 diagnostic centers and is also equipped with the latest and advanced techniques that include 3 Telsa which is the world’s first Digital MRI technology. The hospital also has world-class Radiation Therapy techniques which have been developed by leading technology experts from Elekta and Brain Lab.
Apollo Hospital, Chennai
- City: Chennai, India
Hospital Highlights:
- Apollo Hospitals, Chennai, is one of the best hospitals for heart care in India. Over the years, Apollo has expanded all over India, as a healthcare chain.
- India’s first ‘Only Pancreas’ transplant was performed in Apollo Hospital. The hospital is known for successfully performing Asia’s first en-bloc combined heart and liver transplant, and over the years, it has attained a remarkable achievement in the global healthcare space. Around 3-4 organ transplants are performed in the hospital per day.
- Equipped with over 500 beds, this hospital in Chennai was established in 1983 and since then has been among the most preferred hospital for patients from all over the world.
- The hospital holds accreditation of the NABH and JCI and is the first hospital in India to be ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certified. It is also the first South Indian Hospital to receive subsequent reaccreditation from the JCI USA 4 times.
Medanta-The Medicity, Gurgaon
- City: Gurugram, India
Hospital Highlights:
- One of India’s best and largest multi-specialty hospitals, Medanta was built with the aim to bring India to the highest standards of medical care. The hospital has been providing the best medical services to its patients, since its inception, with care, commitment, and compassion.
- Equipped with 1250 beds, the hospital was founded by Dr. Naresh Trehan in the year 2009 with an aim to provide the best medical care at affordable costs. The hospital is spread across 43 acres and includes 45 operation theatres and 350 beds dedicated solely to ICU. The hospital includes over 800 doctors, and more than 22 specialty departments and has a dedicated floor for individual specialty in order to offer the best services under one roof.
- The hospital is considered one of the premier institutes in India for Cardiac Care and includes staffs and members of high caliber. The hospital has 6 distinct centers of excellence.
Max Super Specialty Hospital, New Delhi
- City: New Delhi, India
Hospital Highlights:
- One of the well-regarded providers in India committed to the highest standards of clinical excellence and patient care, Max Super Specialty Hospital is a part of Max Healthcare, which is the second-largest healthcare chain in India. Regarded as one of the most well-regarded healthcare providers in the country, Max Super Specialty Hospital is committed to the highest standards of clinical excellence as well as patient care. The hospital is also equipped with the latest technology as well as cutting-edge research. The hospital is known to deliver and ensure the highest level of patient care.
- The hospital has more than 500 beds and offers treatment for over 35 specialties. The hospital also holds the credit of having installed the first Brain Suite in Asia. This is a highly advanced Neurosurgical machine that allows MRI to be taken while surgery is ongoing.
- Other advanced and latest technologies are also installed in the hospital such as the 1.5 Tesla MRI machine, 64 Slice CT Angiography, 4D ECHO, LINAC, and 3.5T MRI machine.
Artemis Hospital, Gurugram
- City: Gurugram, India
Hospital Highlights:
- One of the most well-known hospitals in the Delhi NCR, Artemis Hospital is the first hospital in Gurugram to get accredited by the Joint Commission International.
- With more than 40 specialties, the hospital has been designed to be one of the most technically advanced hospitals in the country, with the best medical and surgical health care. The hospital has eleven special and dedicated centers, for Heart, Cancer, Neurosciences, etc.
- The latest technologies in the hospital include Endovascular Hybrid Operating Suite and Flat panel Cath Labs for the cardiovascular department, 3 Tesla MRI, 16 slice PET CT, 64 Slice Cardiac CT Scan, HDR Brachytherapy, and highly advanced Image Guided Radiation Therapy techniques (LINAC) are installed in the hospital.
- The hospital has won several awards as well, since its inception.
BLK Max Super Specialty Hospital, New Delhi
- City: New Delhi, India
Hospital Highlights:
- Equipped with 650 beds, BLK Superspecialty Hospital is the largest stand-alone private sector hospital in Delhi.
- With over 1500 healthcare providers and 150 globally renowned super specialists, the hospital is one of Asia’s largest Bone Marrow Transplant Centres. The hospital is known for having some of the best cancer doctors in the country.
- The hospital is NABH and NABL accredited and was inaugurated by the first Prime Minister of India. Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru.
Gleneagles Global Hospitals, Chennai
- City: Chennai, India
Hospital Highlights:
- Established in 1999, Gleneagles Global Hospital, Chennai, is one of the top healthcare facilities in Southern India. It is part of the Gleneagles Hospital Chain, which is the fourth largest healthcare chain in the country. The hospital specializes in multi-organ transplants of kidneys, liver, lungs, heart, etc.
- The hospital has an excellent infrastructure and state-of-the-art lab and equipment set-up. The hospital boasts cutting-edge technologies, a highly skilled team of doctors and surgeons, and trained support staff. Located in Perumbakam, Chennai, it is one of India’s premier health care destinations. The hospital has performed some of the most complex surgical and clinical procedures in India including multi-organ transplantations.
- The hospital’s lung transplantation program is one of the best in the country. The hospital is known for having performed India’s first single lung transplant and first minimal invasive lung transplant. It is also the only Indian hospital to be associated with King’s College Hospital, London, United Kingdom for liver transplantations.
Fortis Hospital, Mulund, Mumbai
- City: Mumbai, India
Hospital Highlights:
- Fortis Hospital in Mulund is a 315-bed multi-speciality tertiary care hospital with five JCI accreditations that offers a wide variety of diagnostic and therapeutic services. The Fortis Hospital in Mulund delivers patient-centred treatment with cutting-edge technology, highly skilled and experienced surgeons, and paramedical staff.
- This institution houses Maharashtra’s largest multi-organ transplant centre. It is also the first heart transplant centre in western India to conduct 100 or more consecutive heart transplants in under four years. It is the only hospital in the city to have multi-organ transplants and has handled the youngest patient for angioplasty. Fortis Hospital Mulund now boasts the first advanced surgical robot in central Mumbai.
- Cardiology and heart surgery, urology, nephrology, neurosciences, orthopaedics, digestive care, emergency and critical care, and maternity care are among the services provided by the hospital.
Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Mumbai
- City: Mumbai, India
Hospital Highlights:
- Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Named after the wife of Indian industrialist Dhirubhai Ambani, the founder of Reliance Industries, this is one of the top hospitals in Mumbai. This 750-bed multi-specialty hospital became operational in 2009. Known as one of India’s most advanced tertiary care facilities, the hospital is designed to raise India’s global standing as a healthcare hub, with an emphasis on excellence in clinical services.
- Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital uses Protocol and Care Pathway based treatment models to ensure the best outcomes for patients.
- The hospital represents a confluence of top-notch talent, cutting-edge technology, state-of-the-art infrastructure, and, most importantly commitment.
- The hospital also holds the accreditation of the NABH, NABL, CAP, and JCI.
- The hospital has been recognized as the No. 1 Multispecialty Hospital in Mumbai and the West Zone for the fifth year in a row in 2020 by The Week.
Hepatitis C
Hepatitis C is a viral infection that causes inflammation in the liver. Sometimes, it may cause serious damage to the liver. The virus (HCV or hepatitis C virus) transmits through contaminated blood. Nearly 50 percent of the population is unaware of the fact that they are suffering from hepatitis C. This is mainly because the symptoms don’t appear until the infection advances. Most people suffering from liver disease undergo screening for hepatitis C.
Causes of Hepatitis C
Hepatitis C Virus causes hepatitis C infection. When blood contaminated with the virus enters the bloodstream of a healthy individual, the infection spreads. There are several forms of HCV known as genotypes. There are more than 67 subtypes of the virus. Type 1 is the most common HCV genotype. Irrespective of the genotype of the infecting virus, chronic hepatitis C follows the same course. However, the treatment recommendations may vary for each of the viral genotypes.
Symptoms of Hepatitis C
Chronic hepatitis C is a long-term infection with the hepatitis C virus. Chronic hepatitis C virus is a silent infection that shows symptoms when the virus damages the liver that is serious enough to indicate signs of liver disease. Chronic hepatitis C infection begins with an acute phase. The doctor may not be able to diagnose acute hepatitis C as it doesn’t show symptoms early. When the signs & symptoms start appearing, they may include fever, fatigue, jaundice, muscle aches, and nausea.
The acute symptoms start appearing at least two months after exposure to the virus and may last for 14 days to almost 3 months. It does not necessarily turn to chronic infection. Some people relieve the hepatitis C virus in the acute phase itself from their bodies, the process known as spontaneous viral clearance. Nearly 25 percent of the people diagnosed with a ute hepatitis C virus cleared the virus off their bodies through spontaneous viral clearance. However, antiviral therapy is also effective for the clearance of the virus from the body. The symptoms of hepatitis C virus are:
- Yellow discoloration of the skin and the eyes.
- Drowsiness, confusion, and slurred speech.
- Easy bruising and bleeding
- Fluid buildup in the abdomen termed as ascites.
- Poor appetite
- Swelling in the legs
- Dark-colored urine
- Weight loss
- Fatigue
- Itchy skin
- Spider angiomas or spider-like blood vessels on the skin.
Screening for Hepatitis C
Doctors recommend all the people of the ages between 18 years to 79 years to undergo screening for hepatitis C. Even those who don’t show symptoms must undergo screening for hepatitis C. The screening for the hepatitis C virus is crucial for the people who are at a higher risk for exposure to the virus. The people may be:
- Health care and emergency workers exposed to blood or needle stick injuries while working
- People who got blood transfusions before 1992 or organs transplants during that period
- People who were in prison
- Anyone who injected on inhaled illicit drugs
- People with HIV infection
- People having abnormal liver function test results without any noticeable cause
- Anybody born between 1945 to 1965
- People with a history of long-term hemodialysis treatment
- Babies born to mothers suffering from hepatitis C infection
- Sexual partners of anybody diagnosed with hepatitis C
- People with hemophilia treated with clotting factors before 1987.
Other tests
If the results of the initial blood tests show the presence of hepatitis C infection, then you need to undergo additional blood tests. These blood tests will identify the genotype of the virus. They will also measure the quantity of the hepatitis C virus in the blood.
Liver damage tests
- Magnetic Resonance Elastography (MRE) – This is a non-invasive alternative. It combines magnetic resonance imaging technology with the patterns of the sound waves bouncing off the liver to create visual maps that show gradients of stiffness throughout the liver. One may observe the presence of scarring of the liver, also called fibrosis, because of chronic hepatitis C if the liver tissue if stiff.
- Transient Elastography – This is another non-invasive test. It is a type of ultrasound that allows the transmission of vibrations into the liver. It measures the speed of the dispersal of the vibrations through the liver tissue to estimate the stiffness of the liver.
- Liver biopsy– Done under the ultrasound guidance, it involves the insertion of a thin needle through the wall of the abdomen. The doctor carries out this for the removal of a small sample of liver tissue to carry out laboratory testing.
- Blood tests- A number of blood tests show the extent of fibrosis in the liver.
Treatment Options of Hepatitis C
Antiviral medications
Your doctor will prescribe you the antiviral medications to treat hepatitis C infection in your body. These medications intend to remove the virus from your body. The main aim of the treatment is to have complete absence of the hepatitis C virus in your body at least 12 weeks after completion of the treatment. Now, there are significant advances in the treatment for hepatitis C virus infection. These advances involve the use of “direct-acting” antiviral medications which you need to take alone or in a combination with the existing treatments.
The new advances show better results with fewer side effects and short treatment time. Some of the treatments are as short as eight weeks. The hepatitis C genotype determines the choice of medications and the length of the treatment. Not just this, the existing liver damage, prior treatment, and other medical conditions are also a factor.
Liver transplantation
If the complications of hepatitis C infection are serious, liver transplantation is the option for you. In a majority of the cases, liver transplantation alone cannot cure hepatitis C infection. The infection may return, requiring antiviral medications to prevent any kind of damage to thr transplanted liver.
Vaccinations
There are no vaccines yet for hepatitis C infection. However, your doctor may ask you to receive the vaccines for hepatitis A and hepatitis B viruses. Both these viruses have the potential to cause liver damage and complicate chronic hepatitis C.