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What department should you visit for liver disease?

Jan 03, 2025 Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Gao Jun
Introduction
In general, liver diseases can be treated at departments including hepatology, gastroenterology, infectious diseases, hepatobiliary surgery, and general surgery. If unsure which department to visit, patients can consult at the hospital's guidance desk or choose the most suitable department according to their specific medical condition and symptoms. Patients with liver disease should maintain good lifestyle and dietary habits.

Generally, liver diseases can be treated in departments such as hepatology, gastroenterology, infectious diseases, hepatobiliary surgery, and general surgery. Detailed explanations are as follows:

1. Hepatology Department

Hepatology is a specialized department for diagnosing and treating various liver-related diseases. It provides professional evaluation and management of liver diseases, including liver function tests and viral marker detection.

2. Gastroenterology Department

As the liver is a digestive organ, some liver diseases may be accompanied by digestive system abnormalities; therefore, liver diseases can also be diagnosed and treated in the gastroenterology department. Endoscopic ultrasound, gastroscopy, and other examinations can be performed in the gastroenterology department to help assess liver conditions. It is suitable for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases such as hepatitis, fatty liver disease, and alcoholic liver disease.

3. Infectious Diseases Department

If the liver disease is suspected to be caused by a specific infection, such as viral hepatitis, patients should visit the infectious diseases department. This department can provide laboratory testing targeting specific infectious agents, such as hepatitis B and C. It is suitable for contagious liver diseases like hepatitis B, hepatitis A, and hepatitis C.

4. Hepatobiliary Surgery Department

For hepatobiliary diseases requiring surgical intervention, such as liver cysts, hepatic hemangiomas, intrahepatic bile duct stones, liver cancer, and others, patients should visit the hepatobiliary surgery department. The hepatobiliary surgery department can perform detailed evaluations of liver structure through imaging examinations such as ultrasound and MRI and formulate surgical treatment plans.

5. General Surgery Department

If liver disease patients experience symptoms such as abdominal distension, diarrhea, constipation, accompanied by fatigue or fever, they may consider visiting the general surgery department, as the general surgery department in some hospitals also undertakes part of the diagnosis and treatment of liver diseases.

If you are unsure which department to register with, you can consult at the hospital's guidance desk or choose the most suitable department based on the patient's specific condition and symptoms. At the same time, patients with liver disease should maintain good living and dietary habits, avoid excessive fatigue and alcohol consumption, and undergo regular liver function examinations, which help prevent the occurrence and progression of liver disease.

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