Internal Medicine

Overview and Definition

What is Hepatitis?

Hepatitis is a general medical term used to describe inflammation of the liver. The liver is a powerhouse organ responsible for filtering toxins, processing nutrients, and producing essential blood-clotting proteins. When the liver becomes inflamed or damaged, its ability to function is severely compromised. While the condition is most famously caused by viral infections, it can also result from heavy alcohol use, toxins, certain medications, and specific underlying medical conditions.

Types of Inflammation

Inflammation can be categorized by its cause. Viral forms are labeled by letters (A, B, C, D, and E). However, non-viral forms are equally significant:

• Autoimmune hepatitis: A chronic condition in which your body’s immune system misidentifies your liver cells as foreign invaders and attacks them.
• Hepatic steatosis: Commonly known as fatty liver disease, this occurs when excess fat builds up in liver cells, which can lead to inflammation and scarring if left unmanaged.

Recognizing the Signs of Hepatitis

In many cases, especially in the early stages, the condition is "silent" and produces no symptoms. When symptoms do appear, they typically include intense fatigue, flu-like symptoms, dark urine, pale stools, abdominal pain, and loss of appetite. A hallmark sign is jaundice—a yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes.

Advanced Complications of Hepatitis

• If the inflammation leads to severe liver failure, a dangerous complication called hepatic encephalopathy can occur. This happens when the liver can no longer remove toxins (like ammonia) from the blood; these toxins travel to the brain, causing confusion, altered consciousness, and even coma.

  Risk Factors by Type

  • Hepatitis A: Primarily spread through the "fecal-oral" route, such as consuming contaminated food or water or close contact with an infected person.
  • Hepatitis B and C: These are blood-borne pathogens. Risk factors include sharing needles, needle-stick injuries in healthcare settings, or unprotected sexual contact. Chronic infection with these types is a leading cause of liver cirrhosis and liver cancer.

Symptoms and Causes

Clinical Screening

Because the condition is often asymptomatic, screening is vital for those in high-risk groups. Diagnosis begins with a physical exam to check for an enlarged liver or abdominal tenderness. Doctors order "Liver Function Tests" (LFTs) to measure levels of enzymes and proteins in the blood that indicate liver stress or damage.

Identifying the Specific Cause

Cancer can affect the body by pressing on organs, which may cause pain or even organ problems. Treatments like chemotherapy target fast-growing cells, so they attack cancer but can also affect healthy cells, leading to side effects like hair loss, tiredness, or nausea. Immunotherapy works by boosting the immune system, which can sometimes cause symptoms similar to the flu.

Radiation Oncology

Diagnosis and Staging

MR-Linac (Unity): Seeing While Treating

Traditional radiation machines use old X-ray images. But tumors move—your lung tumor moves when you breathe; your prostate moves when your bladder fills.

• The Revolution: MR-Linac combines a high-strength MRI machine with a Linear Accelerator.
• The Benefit: We can see the tumor in real-time, crystal-clear definition during the treatment. If the tumor shifts 2mm, the machine pauses or adjusts. This allows us to deliver massive, curative doses (SBRT) in fewer sessions (e.g., 5 days instead of 6 weeks) with minimal side effects.

CyberKnife & Gamma Knife

For brain tumors or spinal metastases, we use Radiosurgery. This is non-invasive "surgery" using radiation beams so precise (sub-millimeter accuracy) that no incision is needed.

Treatment Details

Da Vinci Xi Robotic Surgery

Liv Hospital utilizes the latest robotic systems for complex cancer surgeries:

• Prostate Cancer: Protecting the nerves responsible for potency and urinary control.
• Colorectal Cancer: Removing tumors with tiny incisions, allowing for faster return of bowel function.
• Gynecologic Cancer: Hysterectomies performed with extreme precision.
• The Benefit: The robot provides 3D high-definition vision and wrist movements that human hands cannot perform. This means less blood loss, less pain, and a faster discharge—crucial for international patients who need to fly home.

Nuclear Medicine: Theranostics

We are pioneers in Theranostics (Therapy + Diagnostics). This involves finding cancer cells with a radioactive tracer (PET-CT) and then destroying them with a radioactive missile.

• Lutetium-177: Used for advanced Prostate Cancer (PSMA therapy) and Neuroendocrine Tumors. It seeks out cancer cells throughout the body and delivers radiation directly to them, sparing healthy tissue.

Why Choose Liv Hospital for Cancer Care?

Traveling for cancer treatment is a major decision. Here is why patients from 50+ countries trust Liv Hospital:

1. Speed is Survival: In many countries (UK, Canada), waiting lists for PET-CT scans or surgery can be months long. Cancer does not wait. At Liv Hospital, we typically complete all diagnostics in 3 days and start treatment immediately.
2. JCI Accreditation: We are an accredited Center of Excellence, adhering to strict American safety protocols for chemotherapy preparation and surgical sterility.
3. Comprehensive Support: We treat the person, not just the disease. Our Supportive Care Unit includes:
   • Psycho-Oncology: Psychologists to help navigate the anxiety and depression often associated with diagnosis.
   • Onco-Nutrition: Dietitians to maintain your strength and weight during treatment.
   • Algology (Pain Management): Specialists dedicated to ensuring you are pain-free.
4. Access to Clinical Trials: As a university hospital, we participate in global clinical trials, giving patients access to new drugs before they are widely available.