i
Loading Page
loading, please wait

Filters

FILTERS

Clear All Filters

INSURANCE

Search for Insurance Plans...

RATING

NEW PATIENTS

CONDITIONS / TREATMENTS

Search for Conditions/Treatments...

MEDICAL SCHOOLS

Search for Medical School...

PRACTICE AFFILIATIONS

Search for Practice Affiliations...

SPECIALTIES

SORT BY

Hepatologists - Columbia, SC

We found 3 hepatologists in Columbia, SC. See refinement options below.

Sort By
  • Default
  • Patient Rating
  • Distance

Related searches

You can further refine your search:

removal of lesion (2) , hospital care (2) , gastrointestinal procedures (2) , endoscopy (2) , hepatitis b vaccine (1) , liver transplant (1) , colonoscopy with submucosal injection (1) , fibroscan (1) , outpatient hospital care (1) , esophageal dilation (1) , preventive care (1) , lab tests (1) , phlebotomy for lab tests (1)

in Nearby Locations

Kingstree, SC Monroe, NC

Other Providers in Columbia, SC

Bariatric (Weight Loss) Doctors Cardiac Electrophysiologists Cardiac Rehabilitation Specialists Colorectal Surgeons Family Therapists Intensivists & Critical Care Specialists Midwives Ophthalmologists Optometrists Physiatrists Physical Therapists Psychoanalysts Pulmonologists Surgeons Women's Health Specialists

What is Hepatology?

Hepatology is the study of the liver and its diseases. It is an emerging medical specialty, with most hepatologists currently being gastroenterologists who have completed a fellowship in hepatology or who have simply taken an interest in the liver. Gastroenterology is the specialty devoted to the digestive system and all of the digestive organs, including the liver as well as the stomach, esophagus, intestines, pancreas, and so on. Some illnesses are specific to the liver, and as our treatment and understanding of them advances, there is enough knowledge to make hepatology its own field.

A patient may be referred to a hepatologist for many conditions, including:

  • An overdose on drugs that are damaging to the liver
  • Blood tests suggesting liver damage
  • Hepatitis, or inflammation of the liver, which can be caused by a virus, toxin, or autoimmune disease
  • Cirrhosis, a type of scar tissue in the liver that is often caused by alcoholism
  • Hemochromatosis, a condition where your body absorbs too much iron, which damages the liver
  • Follow-up care after a liver transplant

Outcomes for liver patients tend to be better with a hepatologist than a gastroenterologist. However, hepatologists can be difficult to find outside of larger cities. This may change in the future as more patients seek the specialized care that hepatologists can provide.