Dr. Pathik Parikh Hepatologist and Liver Transplant Physician

  Liver Cancer The liver is one of the largest internal organs in the body. It is the only internal organ that can regenerate. The liver functions can be broadly divided into following tasks To filter toxic substances from the blood To help digest food that by bile formation. To store vitamins and fat which can be utilised during starving To produce proteins, sugars and substances used for clotting Types of Primary Liver Cancer: The two most common types of primary liver cancers are – Hepatocellular carcinoma – Most common; 3 rd  leading cause of death worldwide Cholangiocarcinoma Risk factors for liver cancer: Chronic Viral hepatitis B and C Fatty Liver Cirrhosis due to any cause Toxic substance – Alcohol or aflatoxins Some rare disease – Hereditary hemochromatosis Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency Glycogen storage disease Porphyria cutanea tarda Wilson disease Hepatitis B is the most common cause of liver cancer in India. Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and Fa...

  Liver Disease in Gujarat There is a myth that because alcohol is banned in Gujarat, there is no  liver disease in Gujarat . Though, alcohol is one of the major reasons for liver failure, there are many other diseases which one needs to be aware of. The most common cause of  liver failure in India  is  Hepatitis B . The most common cause of liver cancer is Hepatitis B. Those who were born before 2002 need to check themselves for hepatitis B. vaccination is available and is now a part of national immunization schedule. Hepatitis B has no symptoms and the only way to diagnose is a simple blood test. If you have received blood transfusion in past, you have the risk of being exposed to  Hepatitis C. The diet in Gujarat is full of sugars and oils. With adaption of western sedentary lifestyle, obesity and diabetes is on the rise. With that fatty liver is also on the rise.  Fatty liver  can cause liver damage similar to that caused by alcohol. Fatty liv...

  Intermittent fasting as a treatment for fatty liver Fatty liver is seen in nearly one third of world’s population. Obesity is the major predisposing factor for fatty liver. Lifestyle modification forms a major therapeutic option for fatty liver. Calorie restriction and exercise forms the crux of lifestyle modification. Different diets have been tried for fatty liver. Mediterranean diet has the major validation. Rest all diets have failed to show significant benefits. Intermittent fasting Intermittent fasting (IF) is a dietary intervention that involves periodic intervals ofcomplete or almost complete abstinence from food and energy-containing fluids. Thepractice of IF has been performed since thetime of the earliest civilizations, mainly forreligious or cultural reasons. Our society performs these by different fasts for different festivals. IF has shown rapid acceptance and growth amongst all strata of people. Previous studies have reported weight loss, improvement in insulin res...

  Upper GI Bleed – Blood Vomitus or Black Stools Cirrhosis is diffuse permanent damage to the liver. Once somebody develops cirrhosis, they are likely to face some or the other complications in upcoming 3-5 years. It is good to keep oneself aware about possible complications. One of the complications is gastrointestinal bleeding. Hematemesis means vomiting of blood. Whenever a person has blood in his vomit, we call it as hematemesis. It is major and life-threatening complication of cirrhosis of the liver. Reason for Blood in Vomit in cirrhosis Esophageal Varices Gastric Varices Under normal circumstances, the blood that flows from spleen and the intestines enters a vessel known as portal vein and it in turn enters the liver for filtration. The blood from the liver enters the hepatic veins and from where it enters the heart and goes into the systemic circulation. However, when there is cirrhosis of the liver, this liver does not allow the blood to pass smoothly and it provides a res...

  What is Hepatology? “Hepat” stands for Liver.  Hepat-  comes from the Greek  hêpar , meaning “liver.”It is often used in medical terms. So a doctor who treats diseases that deals with liver, gallbladder, pancreas and bile duct is known as hepatologist. Liver Physician in Gujarat Hepatology is a field that has emerged from gastroenterology. While some gastroenterology departments still house hepatology, the more liver-focused hepatology has begun to make a name for itself as an autonomous specialty with its own subspecialties. Hepatology is still in the process of establishing itself as an independent medical specialty and since the separation from gastroenterology is still in progress, many training/fellowship programs combine hepatology alongside gastroenterology. Liver Physician in ahmedabad Liver problems are a growing issue around the world, with conditions like cirrhosis, fatty liver disease, and chronic hepatitis and drug induced liver injury affect...

  Acute liver failure Ms V, a 25-year-old girl from Maninagar, an associate professor in premier engineering college, a pHD student and a girl who is soon to get hitched to the man of his dreams. With loving parents, life could not get better for her. Liver Specialist in Ahmedabad Like most of the youngsters, she also used to have occasional outside food. Unfortunately, she developed vomiting, fever, muscle pain and she consulted her primary doctor. On investigations she was found to have hepatitis A virus. Hepatitis A is the most common form of acute viral hepatitis worldwide. The virus most commonly gets transmitted by contaminated food and water. The infection is asymptomatic in 84% of children 1 and 2 years of age, 50% of children 3 and 4 years of age and 20 % of children over 5 years of age. But age increases, the severity of infection increases. The clinical illness starts with prodromal phase with symptoms of malaise, weakness, fever, anorexia and non-specific symptoms and l...

  Upper GI Bleed – Blood Vomitus or Black Stools best doctors for liver disease Cirrhosis is diffuse permanent damage to the liver. Once somebody develops cirrhosis, they are likely to face some or the other complications in upcoming 3-5 years. It is good to keep oneself aware about possible complications. One of the complications is gastrointestinal bleeding. Hematemesis means vomiting of blood. Whenever a person has blood in his vomit, we call it as hematemesis. It is major and life-threatening complication of cirrhosis of the liver. Reason for Blood in Vomit in cirrhosis Esophageal Varices Gastric Varices Under normal circumstances, the blood that flows from spleen and the intestines enters a vessel known as portal vein and it in turn enters the liver for filtration. The blood from the liver enters the hepatic veins and from where it enters the heart and goes into the systemic circulation. However, when there is cirrhosis of the liver, this liver does not allow the blood to pass...