Dr Vivek Vij

Bile duct is basically a tube that passes in and out of the liver and it plays an essential role in digestion. And bile is basically a fluid that is produced in the liver; it helps in absorption of vitamins and digestion of fats. This also helps in other functions such as it helps the body to get rid of the cholesterol, worn out red blood cells, toxins etc. Any damage to the bile duct can cause liver diseases, scar tissues or liver failure at worst. Primary biliary cholangitis on the other hand is a chronic disease that causes damage to the bile ducts and is also widely known as biliary cirrhosis. Biliary cirrhosis slowly destroys the bile duct and the liver, if left untreated or ignored. In some cases the chronic inflammation in the liver also damages the bile duct which is usually caused due to irreversibles scarring of the liver tissue is also known as cirrhosis that ultimately leads to liver failure. This kind of chronic liver disease can affect both men and women. But according to various studies, it is found that it affects more women as compared to men. Further, several researchers suggest that such a kind of disease is usually caused due to genetic and environmental factors that cause autoimmune disease that attack the healthy cells and tissues of the liver. It usually occurs slowly therefore initially there are no signs of liver damage or symptoms

Symptoms:

Initially, there are no warning signs or symptoms of biliary cirrhosis. But as disease advances and reaches its later stages it shows several symptoms that are quite noticeable and cannot be ignored. Some of the common symptoms and signs of biliary cirrhosis may be:

• Itchy skin
• Fatigue
• Excruciating pain in the abdominal area
• Swelling in spleen
• Muscle and joint pain
• Dryness in eyes and mouth
• Sudden weight loss
• Build up of fluid in the abdomen
• Hypothyroidism
• High blood sugar
• High cholesterol level
• Weakness in the bones that leads to fracture
• Swollen ankles and feet
• Fatty deposits on the skin especially around the eyes, eyelids, palms, elbow and knees
• Skin darkening or hyper pigmentation
• Diarrhea

Some probable causes:

The primary cause of biliary cirrhosis is unknown but according to several experts autoimmune disease plays a huge role in this disease. As mentioned earlier, environmental and genetic factors trigger an autoimmune response that may cause biliary cirrhosis. Further, other conditions such as inflammation of the liver is also responsible for this disease. The inflammation causes scarring of the liver that spreads to the Bile duct and damages it which eventually leads to liver failure. Also according to research certain types of white blood cells or T lymphocytes get accumulated in the liver that destroys the healthy cells mistakenly. The primary function of T- Lymphocytes is to fight against germs, bacteria and viruses but in such cases it destroys the healthy cells of the body by mistake.

How can we help with the treatment?

If you are looking for Internal medicine and gastroenterology treatment in India then be assured as our team will assist you and guide you through the entire process of your medical treatment.

The following will be provided to you:

• Expert gastroenterologist, general surgeon, physician and doctors
• Transparent communication
• Coordinated assistance at all times
• Prior appointments with specialists and follow up queries
• Assistance with medical tests
• Assistance in follow up queries
• Assistance with hospital formalities
• 24*7 availability
• Assistance with therapies
• Rehabilitation
• Travel arrangements
• Assistance for accommodation and healthy recovery
• Assistance in emergencies

Our team offers you the best quality health trips and after care for our patients. Further, we have a team of dedicated health personnel who are available and ready to assist you throughout your medical journey.

The liver is basically the second largest organ present in our body which is responsible for various important metabolic functions without which the body cannot perform. In cases where the liver fails to work in such situations the patient may require a liver transplant surgery in order to replace a diseased liver with a healthy liver from a donor. In many cases if a healthy living person donates a part of the liver then also it can help an individual whose liver completely fails to function but for this it is necessary that the donor's liver matches the recipient's. One should not be skeptical about donating their liver as the person who donates a small part of the liver can live a healthy life as before without any major complications. This can be done because the liver is the only part of the body that can regenerate if it is injured or taken out due to surgery. The part of the liver that is removed grows back to its own size after the surgery in a few months.

Why do you need a liver transplant?

There can be various reasons for which one may require liver transplant, it's just that the requirement may differ from person to person. Some of which may include:

• Acute hepatic necrosis which is a liver disorder in which the tissues present in the liver dies due to infection, drugs, toxins or reaction to a particular kind of medicine.
• Cirrhosis is one of the very dangerous end stage liver diseases that causes scar tissues in the liver. When these scar tissues increase, the liver stops working properly in such cases a person may require a liver transplant surgery.
• Viral hepatitis, hepatitis B or C are usually very common causes that may require a liver transplant surgery.
• Biliary atresia is a rare liver condition that affects the bile duct as well. This type of condition usually occurs in newborns and it could be fatal to life.
• Metabolic diseases or disorders usually change the chemical activity that occurs in the liver which further affects overall functioning of the liver and damages it in such cases when the condition of the patient gets worse than the individual may require a liver transplant surgery.
• Liver cancer is one of the most common reasons where a person requires a liver transplant surgery. Since the cancerous cell grows rapidly and affects the nearby organs in such cases removal of the liver is necessary when the cancer is confined to the liver.

How can we help with the treatment?

If you are looking for Liver transplant treatment in India then be assured as our team will assist you and guide you through the entire process of your medical treatment.

The following will be provided to you:

• Expert oncologist, surgeon, physician and doctors
• Transparent communication
• Coordinated assistance at all times
• Prior appointments with specialists and follow up queries
• Assistance with medical tests
• Assistance in follow up queries
• Assistance with hospital formalities
• 24*7 availability
• Assistance with therapies
• Rehabilitation
• Travel arrangements
• Assistance for accommodation and healthy recovery
• Assistance in emergencies

Our team offers you the highest quality health trips and one of the best after care for our patients. Further, we have a team of dedicated health personnel who are always available and ready to assist you throughout your medical journey.

Overview

Liver cancer is life-threatening and one of the fastest growing cancer types in India. In recent years, several advancements in treating liver cancer have happened. While surgery is considered an effective cancer treatment for liver cancer, it is not suitable for all patients. With optimum research and innovative treatment, doctors have considered other treatment options for their patients. Here we’ve covered the various liver cancer treatment options in India.

What are the symptoms associated with liver cancer?

As per the best doctor in India, when liver cancer is in its early stages, you may not notice any symptoms. The symptoms of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are as follows:

• A lump beneath your rib cage, pain on the right side of your abdomen, or pain near your right shoulder are all symptoms of a bowel obstruction.
• Jaundice (a disease that causes yellowing of the skin and eyes).
• Unknown causes of weight loss, nausea, or loss of appetite
• Fatigue.
• Dark-colored urine.

Diagnosing liver cancer:

The following tests and procedures are used to diagnose liver cancer:

• Blood tests are performed. Blood tests may reveal abnormalities in liver function.
• Imaging examinations Your doctor may advise you to undergo imaging tests such as an ultrasound, CT scan, or MRI.
• Taking a liver tissue sample for testing. A piece of liver tissue must sometimes be removed for laboratory testing in order to make a definitive diagnosis of liver cancer.

How is liver cancer treated?

As per our expert doctors practicing in the best hospitals in India, although liver cancer is often curable, it can be difficult to treat.

Your treatment will be determined by:

• Whether cancer begins in the liver (primary) or spreads from somewhere else (secondary)
• The extent of your liver cancer
• The type or nature of your liver cancer
• If it has become widespread
• Your overall health

To treat such cancers, surgery, chemotherapy, using heat to destroy cancer (thermal ablation), targeted medicines, and radiotherapy may all be used.

• Surgery: The surgical procedure involves the removal of the tumor along with some nearby healthy tissue. It is likely to be the most effective disease-directed treatment, especially for patients with normal liver function and tumors that can be safely removed from a small portion of the liver. If the tumor takes up too much of the liver, the liver is too damaged, if the tumor has spread outside the liver, or if the patient has other systemic disorders, surgery may not be an option.

• Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy is typically administered to cancer's blood vessels in the case of liver cancer. Its goal is to halt the progression of cancer. This is known as chemoembolization.

Chemoembolisation is usually used to help shrink cancer or to control and improve symptoms. This is done if you are too sick to have surgery or if cancer cannot be removed through surgery.

• Targeted therapy: The medicines used in targeted therapy aim to stop cancer from spreading. They can shrink advanced cancer and slow down its growth.

If you have liver cancer, you may be treated with targeted medicines if you meet the following criteria:

-You are too sick to have surgery, or cancer cannot be surgically removed.

- Advanced-stage cancer that has spread to other parts of the body.

• Radiotherapy: In radiotherapy, radiation is used on cancer cells. Selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT) is a type of radiotherapy that is sometimes used to treat liver cancer. To stop cancer from spreading, radioactive beads are injected into your liver's blood supply.

If you are an adult and have the following characteristics, you may have SIRT for liver cancer:

-Your liver has not been severely harmed.

-Surgery cannot remove cancer.

• Thermal ablation: Thermal ablation destroys cancer by using an electric current or microwaves.

Thermal ablation may be used to treat liver cancer if surgery is not an option due to illness or if surgery cannot remove cancer.

How can we help with the treatment?

If you are in search of liver cancer treatment in India, our health trip advisors will serve as your guide throughout the treatment. They will be physically present with you even before the medical treatment begins. The following will be provided to you:

• Opinions of expert physicians and surgeons
• Transparent communication
• Coordinated care
• Prior appointment with specialists
• Assistance with hospital formalities
• 24*7 availability
• Arrangement for travel
• Assistance for accommodation and healthy recovery
• Assistance in emergencies

We are dedicated to offering the highest quality medical tourism in India to our patients. We have a team of highly qualified and devoted health trip advisors who will be by your side from the beginning of your journey.

A liver transplant is a big operation that has a risk of some serious complications. These can occur during, soon after, or even years afterward.

1) Failure to comply with the immunosuppression medical regimen is the number one cause of organ failure.

2) Reappearance of certain diseases like Hepatitis C, narrowed bile duct, etc.

3) Regular intakes of medicines to keep the immune system, and body's defense against germs from treating the new liver as an invader that needs to be attacked.

4) Hepatic Outflow Obstruction, etc.

Here, in this video one of the top liver transplant surgeon in Delhi/NCR Dr. Vivek Vij explains to us certain risks that are involved in Liver Transplantation.

Watch this video to know more.