The liver is one of the largest and
most vital organs and it performs many important jobs, including protein
production, changing food into energy and removing toxic or poisonous
substances from the blood. One cannot live without a functioning liver.
There are a number of diseases that
can injure the liver and stop it from working correctly. One of these is
hepatitis or the inflammation of the liver.
With hepatitis, the liver stops working well. It can lead to scarring (cirrhosis) or
cancer. Viruses cause most cases of hepatitis. Viral hepatitis is the most
common cause of liver disease in the world.
A
person with a liver problem may not be symptomatic in the early stages of the
disease. Sometimes the disease may be identified during routine tests for other
reasons. However, once liver problems reach a certain point, symptoms will
start showing up. The most common symptoms of liver disease include weakness
and fatigue, weight loss, nausea, vomiting and yellow discoloration of the skin
or jaundice.
According
to the doctors at The Medical City (TMC) Center for Liver Disease Management
and Transplantation (CLDMT), if you wait for these warning signs or symptoms
before caring for your liver, it might be too late. An effective way of keeping
track of your health is through regular health screening.
There
are also liver function tests which are blood tests that help determine
the health of your liver by measuring the levels of proteins, liver enzymes, or
bilirubin in your blood.
Your doctor may order a liver function test if you’re more likely
to have liver damage or disease, like if you are a heavy drinker, or if you
come from a family with a history of liver disease, if you are overweight and
have diabetes or high blood pressure or if you are taking medicine that can
harm your liver. FibroScan Probe at The Medical City
In 2010, CLDMT
introduced the first FibroScan probe in the Philippines. The FibroScan probe is
a non-invasive, painless, and speedy alternative to biopsies used for assessing
fibrosis, or the formation of scar tissue due to injury or long-term
inflammation. The early detection of fibrosis is the key to preventing chronic
liver disease, which is associated with conditions such as Hepatitis B,
alcoholic liver disease, and fatty liver disease.
Pressed gently
against the upper right side of the patient’s abdomen, the probe makes use of
transient elastography, creating a special pulse whose velocity is measured via
ultrasound. The velocity determines how stiff the patient’s liver is—the
stiffer the liver, the greater the degree of fibrosis. Based on the test’s
results, the patient may then be recommended to CLDMT specialists for further
analysis and treatment.
The CLDMT
recently acquired an enhanced FibroScan 502 Touch which
offers a more improved patient data management system with more complete and
personalized exam reports. It is compatible with the complete range of
FibroScan probes and offers simultaneous connection of two probes giving
flexibility for the patient assessment. An indicator recommends the probe
best suited to the patient's morphology.
The FibroScan examination
is painless, quick, and easy. You will only feel a slight vibration on the skin
where the tip of the probe is applied.
The examination
usually takes approximately 15 to 20 minutes to complete. The patient can go
back to his usual activities immediately after the procedure.
If you suffer
from a liver disease, ask your doctor about the FibroScan at The Medical City.
The
CLDMT is a world-class facility managed by a team of internationally trained
and renowned liver surgeons, transplant surgeons, hepatologists, radiologists,
oncologists, pediatricians, and intensivists. The Liver Center offers
diagnostic, therapeutic, medical, surgical, and radiologic services for acute
and chronic liver conditions. For inquiries, call the CLDMT at 9881000 local
6506.
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