Hepatology is the branch of gastroenterology that deals with the liver. The liver processes nutrients, clears toxins and makes proteins needed for blood clotting, so long-term damage can affect the whole body. Many liver conditions cause few symptoms until they are advanced, which makes early testing important.

Patients looking for a liver specialist in Mumbai are evaluated with a history of alcohol use, medicines, infections and family illness. This is followed by liver function tests, viral markers, ultrasound and sometimes elastography to measure liver stiffness. A liver biopsy may be advised when other tests cannot establish the cause or severity of damage.

Treatment depends on the cause. Fatty liver is managed mainly through weight control, diet, exercise and treatment of diabetes and raised cholesterol. Viral hepatitis may need antiviral medicines, and alcohol-related disease requires complete abstinence. In cirrhosis, regular monitoring aims to prevent complications.

Hepatology services at Apex include:

• Fatty Liver Management: Assessment of fatty liver disease with lifestyle-based treatment, including advice on weight, diet and physical activity, and monitoring for signs of progression to scarring.
• Viral Hepatitis Care: Testing, treatment and follow-up for hepatitis B and C, including counselling on transmission, vaccination for contacts and regular checks of liver function.
• Cirrhosis Management: Monitoring and treatment of cirrhosis and its complications, such as fluid build-up in the abdomen, bleeding from swollen food-pipe veins and confusion.
• Liver Biopsy: Tissue sampling to clarify an uncertain diagnosis, measure scarring and guide treatment, performed after blood tests, clotting profile and imaging have been reviewed.