Fibroscan test of Liver

Fibroscan is a specialised ultrasound machine used for your liver. It is employed to measure any fibrosis (scarring) and steatosis (fatty change) present in the liver. Fatty change occurs when fat builds up in the liver. Fibroscan allows your healthcare provider to know more about your liver disease. Many people with liver disease(s) have an effect that’s higher than the normal range. Your healthcare provider will use your FibroScan fibrosis result and your medical history to determine your fibrosis score. 

Dr Amit Bhasin | Sree Gastro and Liver Clinic

Colonoscopy

 

What is a colonoscopy?

A colonoscopy is a test that looks at the inner lining of a person's large intestine. The large intestine is also called the colon.

Often, people have a colonoscopy as a screening test to check for polyps or for cancer in the colon or rectum. Polyps are growths in the colon that might turn into cancer. If you have polyps, the doctor can usually take them out during the colonoscopy. Taking polyps out lowers your chances of getting cancer. People can also have colonoscopy if they have any of the symptoms listed below. Cancer screening tests are tests that are done to try and find cancer early, before a person has symptoms. Cancer that is found early often is small and can be cured or treated easily.

Doctors can use 5 or 6 different tests to screen for colon cancer. But most doctors think that colonoscopy is the best test to screen for colon cancer.

When should I have colon cancer screening?

Doctors recommend that most people begin having colon cancer screening at age 50. Some people have an increased chance of getting colon cancer, because of a strong family history or certain medical conditions. These people might begin screening at a younger age.

What are other reasons my doctor might order a colonoscopy?

Your doctor might order a colonoscopy if you have:

●Blood in your bowel movements

●A change in your bowel habits

●A condition called anemia that can make you feel tired and weak

●Long-term belly or rectal pain that you cannot explain

●Abnormal results from a different type of colon test

●A history of colon cancer or polyps in your colon

What should I do before a colonoscopy?

Your doctor will give you instructions about what to do before a colonoscopy. He or she will tell you what foods you can and cannot eat. He or she will also tell you if you need to stop taking any of your usual medicines beforehand. Make sure to read the instructions as soon as you get them. You might have to stop some medicines up to a week before the test.

The colon needs to be cleaned out before a colonoscopy. Your doctor will give you a special drink that causes watery diarrhea. It is important to drink all of it to make sure your colon is clean. If your colon is clean your doctor will get a better look at the inside lining of the colon. A clean colon also makes the test easier to do and more comfortable. Let your doctor know if you have trouble getting ready for your colonoscopy.

What happens during a colonoscopy?

Your doctor will give you medicine to make you feel relaxed. Then he or she will put a thin tube with a camera and light on the end into your anus and up into the rectum and colon. Your doctor will look at the inside lining of the whole colon.

During the procedure, your doctor might do a test called a biopsy. During a biopsy, a doctor takes a small piece of tissue from the colon. Then he or she looks at the tissue under a microscope to see if it has cancer. Your doctor might also remove growths that he or she sees in the colon. You will not feel it if the doctor takes a biopsy or removes a growth.

What happens after a colonoscopy?

Your doctor will give you instructions about what to do after a colonoscopy. Most people can eat as usual. But most doctors recommend that people do not drive or go to work for the rest of the day. Your doctor will tell you when to start taking any medicines you had to stop before the test.

When should I call my doctor or nurse?

Call your doctor or nurse immediately if you have any of the following problems after your colonoscopy:

●Belly pain that is much worse than gas pain or cramps

●A bloated and hard belly

●Vomiting

●Fever

●A lot of bleeding from your anus

Dr Amit Bhasin-Sree Gastro and Liver Clinic

Upper Endoscopy (Endoscopy)/EGD/Gastroscopy

 

What is upper endoscopy? 

endoscopy procedure Upper endoscopy is a procedure that lets a doctor look at the lining of the upper digestive tract. The upper digestive tract includes the esophagus (the tube than connects the mouth to the stomach), the stomach, and the duodenum (the first part of the small intestine).

Why might my doctor do an upper endoscopy?

You might have an upper endoscopy if you have:

●Pain in your upper belly that you cannot explain

●A condition called "acid reflux"

●Nausea and vomiting that has lasted a long time

●Diarrhea that has lasted a long time

●Black bowel movements or blood in your vomit

●Trouble swallowing or a feeling of food getting stuck in your throat

●Abnormal results from other tests of your digestive system

●Swallowed an object that you should not have swallowed

●Had growths or ulcers in your digestive tract, and your doctor wants to follow up

What should I do before an upper endoscopy?

Your doctor will give you instructions about what to do before an upper endoscopy. He or she will tell you if you need to stop eating or drinking, or stop taking any of your usual medicines beforehand. Make sure to read the instructions as soon as you get them. You might have to stop some medicines up to a week before the test. Let your doctor know if you have trouble getting ready for your upper endoscopy.

What happens during an upper endoscopy?

Your doctor will give you an IV, a thin tube that goes into a vein. You will get medicines through the IV to make you feel relaxed. He or she might give you a mouth spray or gargle to numb your mouth. You will also get a plastic mouth guard to protect your teeth.

Then your doctor will put a thin tube with a camera and light on the end into your mouth and down into your esophagus, stomach, and duodenum. He or she will look for irritation, bleeding, ulcers, or growths.

During an upper endoscopy, your doctor might also:

●Do a test called a biopsy – During a biopsy, a doctor takes a small piece of tissue from the lining of the digestive tract. (You will not feel this.) Then he or she looks at the tissue under a microscope.

●Treat problems that he or she sees – For example, a doctor can stop bleeding or sometimes remove a growth. He or she can also widen any narrow areas of the esophagus. Narrow areas of the esophagus can cause trouble swallowing.

What happens after an upper endoscopy?

After an upper endoscopy, you will be watched for 1 to 2 hours until the medicines wear off. Most doctors recommend that people not drive or go to work right after an upper endoscopy. Most can drive and go back to work the next day.

What are the side effects of an upper endoscopy?

The most common side effect is feeling bloated. Some people have nausea because of the medicines used before the procedure. If this happens to you, your doctor can give you medicine to make the nausea better. Most people can eat as usual after the procedure.

Other side effects are not as common, but can occur. These can include:

●Food from the stomach getting into the lungs

●Bleeding, for example, after a growth is removed

●Getting a tear in the digestive tract lining

●Having redness or swelling of the skin around the IV

Should I call my doctor or nurse?

Call your doctor or nurse immediately if you have any of the following problems after your upper endoscopy:

●Belly pain that is much worse than gas pain or cramps

●A bloated and hard belly

●Vomiting

●Fever

●Trouble swallowing or severe throat pain

●Black bowel movements

●A "crunching" feeling under the skin in the neck

Dr Amit Bhasin | Sree Gastro Liver Clinic, Dwarka, Delhi

Jaundice

 

What is Jaundice?

Jaundice is a condition that causes your skin or the whites of your eyes to turn yellow( yellowing of eyes) . It happens when you have too much of a substance called "bilirubin" in your blood.

What causes Jaundice?

Jaundice is usually caused by problems with your liver, which is a big organ in the upper right side of your belly. It can also be caused by problems with your gallbladder or pancreas.

Normally, the liver stores bile, a fluid that helps the body break down fat. When you eat a meal that has fat in it, your gallbladder empties the bile into a tube called the "bile duct." The bile duct carries the bile into the small intestine to help with digestion.

Problems with the liver, gallbladder, or pancreas can be caused by:

●Small stones that form inside the gallbladder, called gallstones, which can block the bile duct

●Infections

●Heavy alcohol use

●Damage from medicines, herbal supplements, or illegal drugs

●Cancer

You can also get jaundice after surgery, if you have certain blood disorders, or if you have a condition called Gilbert syndrome.

Gilbert syndrome is a common, harmless condition that can run in families. People with this syndrome sometimes get jaundice when they are under stress, take certain medicines, or have an infection. Women with Gilbert syndrome might get jaundice around the time of their period.

Is there a test for jaundice?

Yes. Your doctor will give you a blood test to measure the level of bilirubin in your blood. Your doctor might also give you tests to see what's causing your jaundice.

Will I need tests?

Your doctor or nurse will decide which tests you should have based on your age, other symptoms, and individual situation.

Tests doctors use to find the cause of jaundice might include:

●Blood tests

●An ultrasound – This test uses sound waves to take pictures of the organs inside your belly.

●A CT scan – This is a special kind of X-ray.

●An MRCP – This is a special kind of scan that lets your doctor look at your bile duct.

●A biopsy – For this test, a doctor takes a small sample of tissue from your liver. Then another doctor will look at the sample under a microscope.

How is jaundice treated?

( jaundice treatment) Treatments depend on what's causing the jaundice. Your doctor or nurse might recommend that you:

●Get plenty of rest – Ask your doctor or nurse when it is OK to go back to work or school.

●Avoid alcohol

●Avoid certain medicines – Your doctor or nurse will talk with you about the medicines you take and tell you which ones to avoid.

If your jaundice was caused by gallstones, you might also need to take medicines or have surgery to remove your gallbladder. Sometimes gallstones in the bile duct can be removed during an ERCP test. For an ERCP, the doctor puts a flexible tube down your throat and takes X-rays to see and remove the gallstone.

If you have Gilbert syndrome, you will not need to do anything extra to treat your jaundice. Gilbert syndrome does not cause long-term problems on its own.

Sree Gastro and Liver Clinic

Constipation

 

What is constipation?

Constipation is a common problem that makes it hard to have bowel movements. Hard stool Your bowel movements might be:

●Too hard

●Too small

●Hard to get out

●Happening fewer than 3 times a week

What causes constipation?

Constipation can be caused by:

●Side effects of some medicines

●Poor diet

●Diseases of the digestive system

What other symptoms should I watch for?

These symptoms could signal a more serious problem:

●Blood in the toilet or on the toilet paper after having a bowel movement

●Fever

●Weight loss

●Feeling weak

Is there anything I can do on my own to get rid of constipation?Yes. Try these steps:

●Eat foods that have a lot of fiber. Good choices are fruits, vegetables, prune juice, and cereal.

●Drink plenty of water and other fluids.

●When you feel the need to go to the bathroom, go to the bathroom. Don't hold it.

●Take laxatives. These are medicines that help make bowel movements easier to get out. Some are pills that you swallow. Others go into the rectum. These are called "suppositories."

Should I see a doctor or nurse?See your doctor or nurse if:

●Your symptoms are new or not normal for you

●You do not have a bowel movement for a few days

●The problem comes and goes, but lasts for longer than 3 weeks

●You are in a lot of pain

●You have other symptoms that also worry you (for example, bleeding, weakness, weight loss, or fever)

●Other people in your family have had colorectal cancer or inflammatory bowel disease

Are there tests I should have?

Your doctor or nurse will decide which tests you should have based on your age, other symptoms, and individual situation. There are lots of tests, but you might not need any.

Here are the most common tests doctors use to find the cause of constipation:

●Rectal exam – Your doctor will look at the outside of your anus. He or she will also use a finger to feel inside the opening.

●Sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy – For these tests, the doctor puts a thin tube into your anus. Then, he or she advances the tube into your large intestine. The large intestine is also called the colon. The tube has a camera attached to it, so the doctor can look inside your intestines. During these tests, the doctor can also take samples of tissue to look at under a microscope

●X-rays or MRI – These create images of the inside of your body.

●Manometry studies – Manometry allows the doctor to measure the pressure inside the rectum at various points. It can help the doctor find out if the muscles that control bowel movements are working right. The test also shows whether the person's rectum can feel normally.

How is constipation treated?

That depends on what is causing your constipation. First, your doctor will want you to try eating more fiber and drinking more water. If that doesn't help, your doctor might suggest:

●Medicines that you swallow or put in your rectum

●Changing the medicines you are taking for other conditions

●A treatment called an "enema" – For this treatment, a doctor or nurse will squirt water into your rectum. He or she might also use a thin tool to help break up bowel movements that are still inside you.

You might also be able to give yourself enema treatments at home, too. Enemas can be just water, or they can contain medicine to help with constipation.

●Biofeedback – This is a technique that teaches you to relax your muscles so you can let go and push bowel movements out.

Can constipation be prevented?

You can reduce your chances of getting constipation again by:

●Eating a diet that is full of fiber

●Drinking water and other fluids during the day

●Going to the bathroom at regular times every day

Sree Gastro and Liver Clinic