Suggest Remedy For Foot And Ankle Swelling When Diagnosed With Fatty Liver

Posted on Tue, 11 Aug 2015

Question: I drank for about 10 years, got sick and went to the hospital with jaundice present. I was very sick and was given a fairly extensive mri and bloodwork. My billiribum was high as were my other levels. The mri showed some fatty liver no visible cirrhosis. Three years clean. My bloodwork still shows high liver function. I have foot and ankle swelling which I attribute to a standing job. My new doctor wants to do a punch biopsy because of the bloodwork. I do not present with other problems other than sometime pale stool and sludge in my gallbladder. Is this punch necessary? Is there a less invasive test?

Answered by Dr. Dr. Muhammad Sareer Khalil (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Liver biopsy recommended if labs/imaging not conclusive

Detailed Answer:
Hello and Welcome

I appreciate your concern

If the overall clinical picture including history, blood tests, imaging studies strongly suggest a particular diagnosis and the physician wants to be sure before committing the patient to long term or invasive treatments then the biopsy should be undertaken. It should also be done if the lab workup and imaging do not give a conclusive diagnosis. Liver biopsy is an accurate test that confirms or rules out most of the suspicions that a physician has based upon the clinical evidence. If you are still not sure then I would advise you to consult a gastroenterologist for a second opinion and if both are in favor, then you should go through with the biopsy.

Wishing you best of health

Thanks

Please consult your doctor before deciding on any further course of action.

For future follow up / correspondence you may ask me directly at the link given below

http://doctor.healthcaremagic.com/Funnel?page=askDoctorDirectly&docId=68107

Dr. M.S. Khalil

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar