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Underwent A Laproscopic Surgery For Hiatus Hernia. Positive For Hepatitis B, LFT Report Cam Normal. Treatment?

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Posted on Sat, 18 May 2013
Question: Hello Doctor,
My name is XXXXXX and I am 36 years old. While I underwent a laproscopic surgery for Hiatus Hernia in 2011, they found that I am positive for Hepatitis B. The doctor told that I am a carrier and should be watchful through LFT tests twice in a year.

I did a LFT a month ago, I found the results to be normal.

My question is, can the Hepatitis B be treated and removed from my body? Is there are treatment available?

Thanks,
XXXXXX
doctor
Answered by Dr. Abhijit Deshmukh (1 hour later)
Hi XXXXXX
Thank you for the query,
Possibly what you are suffering from is asymptomatic hepatitis B infection (carrier in other words).
You are harboring the virus but that virus is not causing any damage to the liver as of now and is silent.
There is no recommendation to start treatment at this stage. We monitor the LFT as you said twice a year to see if the virus is causing any inflammation in the liver, in that situation we need to treat it.
If you have a high viral load some times it may help to do a liver biopsy to see for microscopic liver inflammation (in presence of normal LFT it becomes less likely ) and then to decide on therapy.
Hepatitis B is usually treated only when these indications are there.
Other wise if you start treatment it does not help much may just lower the viral load for some time and it recurs back once you are off therapy.
There are oral medications and injections available for same but to be started only when indicated.
Also after the age of 40 years since the risk of cancer increases in these patients it is recommended to do an alfa feto protein levels and an ultrasonography on a 6 monthly basis also.
Hope this answers your query.
Wish you a healthy life ahead.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Abhijit Deshmukh

Gastroenterologist

Practicing since :2001

Answered : 597 Questions

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Underwent A Laproscopic Surgery For Hiatus Hernia. Positive For Hepatitis B, LFT Report Cam Normal. Treatment?

Hi XXXXXX
Thank you for the query,
Possibly what you are suffering from is asymptomatic hepatitis B infection (carrier in other words).
You are harboring the virus but that virus is not causing any damage to the liver as of now and is silent.
There is no recommendation to start treatment at this stage. We monitor the LFT as you said twice a year to see if the virus is causing any inflammation in the liver, in that situation we need to treat it.
If you have a high viral load some times it may help to do a liver biopsy to see for microscopic liver inflammation (in presence of normal LFT it becomes less likely ) and then to decide on therapy.
Hepatitis B is usually treated only when these indications are there.
Other wise if you start treatment it does not help much may just lower the viral load for some time and it recurs back once you are off therapy.
There are oral medications and injections available for same but to be started only when indicated.
Also after the age of 40 years since the risk of cancer increases in these patients it is recommended to do an alfa feto protein levels and an ultrasonography on a 6 monthly basis also.
Hope this answers your query.
Wish you a healthy life ahead.