Dr. Pathik Parikh Hepatologist and Liver Transplant Physician

  FibroScan is a non-invasive medical procedure used to assess liver health by measuring liver stiffness and determining the degree of liver fibrosis. While it's not specifically designed to detect liver inflammation, it can provide valuable information about overall liver health. Liver inflammation, also known as hepatitis, can result from various causes such as viral infections (like hepatitis B or C), alcohol consumption, fatty liver disease, autoimmune disorders, and other factors. It's a crucial aspect of liver health assessment as chronic inflammation can lead to liver damage and fibrosis over time. Although FibroScan primarily evaluates liver stiffness and fibrosis, it indirectly reflects liver inflammation. Inflammation can contribute to liver fibrosis, which in turn affects liver stiffness. Therefore, higher levels of liver stiffness detected by FibroScan may suggest the presence of inflammation. However, FibroScan alone may not provide a complete picture of liver infl...

  Fatty Liver is no longer an unheard term. The prevalence of fatty liver in India is approximately 30% and that means that nearly one in three person suffers from it. The disease is not as benign as the name and prevalence suggest. This disease is the most common liver disease worldwide. It is on path to become the number 1 reason for liver cirrhosis, liver cancer and liver transplant. New Terminology The disease has gone significant change in terminology and is now known as  MASLD – Metabolic-Dysfunction Associated Steatotic Liver Disease  and recently in 2023 the experts of the world met and proposed the following terminology for types of  SLD (Steatotic Liver Disease)  or  Fatty Liver Disease MASLD – Previously NAFLD or Fatty Liver MASH – Previously NASH MetALD – No previous terminology (Patients also take alcohol in addition). Risk Factors MASLD and MASH is usually seen in patients who are obese, overweight and suffer from diabetes, hypertension, seden...

  Deciding the right time for a liver transplant after cirrhosis involves a careful evaluation of several factors. Liver transplantation is typically considered when the liver damage is severe, and the patient's life is at risk. Here are some key considerations: Severity of Cirrhosis: The progression of cirrhosis is categorized into stages (usually classified as stages 1 to 4). Transplantation is generally considered when a patient reaches advanced stages (3 and 4) and experiences significant liver dysfunction. Symptoms and Complications: The presence of complications related to cirrhosis, such as ascites (fluid accumulation in the abdomen), hepatic encephalopathy (brain dysfunction due to liver failure), and variceal bleeding, may indicate the need for transplantation. Liver Function Tests: Monitoring liver function tests, including measures of liver enzymes, bilirubin levels, and blood clotting factors, helps assess the degree of liver dysfunction and guides decisions about tr...