Hepatology is a branch of medicine concerned with the study, prevention, diagnosis, and management of diseases that affect the liver, gallbladder, biliary tree, and pancreas. The role of a hepatologist is to manage disorders in these areas. Hepatology used to be considered a subspecialty of gastroenterology, but nowadays doctors can specialize in hepatology, which is quickly emerging as a freestanding specialty.

Hepatologists deal most frequently with viral hepatitis and diseases related to alcohol. Hepatitis affects millions of individuals globally and is associated with several poor outcomes including liver transplant and liver cancer. In particular, hepatitis B and hepatitis C are major causes of liver cancer, while alcohol abuse has been linked to conditions such as cirrhosis and other serious complications.

The role of a hepatologist generally comes into being only after when the patients are referred by their doctor. A general practitioner may refer a patient to a hepatologist for a variety of reasons including drug overdose, gastrointestinal bleeding from portal hypertension, jaundice, ascites, enzyme defects, or blood tests that indicate liver disease. These specialists also may treat hemochromatosis or pancreatitis or conduct follow-up among patients who have received liver transplantation. Some of the most common ailments that are assessed, diagnosed, and managed by a hepatologist include:

• Some tropical infections such as hydatid cyst, kala-azar or schistosomiasis
• Liver transplantation
• Liver cancer
• Genetic and metabolic liver disease
• Pancreatitis, usually when caused by alcohol consumption or gallstones
• Drug metabolism
• Damage to the pancreas or biliary tract caused by infection, cancer, alcohol, bleeding or obstruction.

How qualified is a hepatologist?

To become a hepatologist, an individual must complete undergraduate study, receive a Doctor of Medicine (MD) or a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree, and then complete a 3-year residency in gastroenterology followed by a fellowship of 2 or 3 years in that field. These candidates then should receive certification in gastroenterology from the American Board of Internal Medicine.

How Should Acute Alcoholic Hepatitis be Treated?