Liver Specialist in Guwahati: Cirrhosis & Hepatitis B, C

If you have liver disease, go to an emergency department at once with:

Vomiting blood or black, sticky stools
Confusion, unusual sleepiness, or a change in behaviour or sleep pattern
Fever with tummy pain, especially if the abdomen is swollen with fluid
Deepening jaundice with fever, or passing very little urine

In Guwahati: Hayat Hospital Emergency, Kahilipara.

Liver conditions treated

Dr. Mayank Agarwal sees adults and children with all kinds of liver disease at Hayat Hospital and Apollo Clinic, Ulubari, and at monthly outreach OPDs in Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Dimapur and Hojai.

Condition	What it means	What is done
Fatty liver (MASLD)	Extra fat in the liver, linked to weight, diabetes and cholesterol	FibroScan to check for scarring; a weight, diet and exercise plan; treatment of diabetes and cholesterol
Hepatitis B	A long-term virus infection of the liver	Regular blood tests and FibroScan; antiviral tablets when needed; testing and vaccination of family members
Hepatitis C	A virus that slowly scars the liver	A course of tablets for 8–12 weeks, which cures more than 95% of people
Cirrhosis	Advanced scarring of the liver from any cause	Treating the cause, endoscopy for swollen veins (varices) with banding, diet, fluid and medicine management, and 6-monthly liver cancer checks
Alcohol-related liver disease	Fat, inflammation or scarring from alcohol	Stopping alcohol completely, nutrition, treatment of alcoholic hepatitis
Jaundice and raised liver tests	Yellow eyes, or an abnormal LFT found on a check-up	Finding the cause — hepatitis, medicines, bile duct blockage — and treating it, including ERCP when the bile duct is blocked
Autoimmune, drug-induced and other liver diseases	The immune system, a medicine or a herbal product injuring the liver	Diagnosis with blood tests and, when needed, a liver biopsy; specific treatment

Tests used

Liver function tests (LFT), blood counts and clotting tests
Hepatitis B and C tests, including viral load where needed
Ultrasound of the abdomen
FibroScan — a painless 10-minute scan that measures liver stiffness (scarring) and fat. Available at both Hayat and Apollo Ulubari.
Upper GI endoscopy to look for swollen veins (varices) in people with cirrhosis

Hepatitis B

Many people carry hepatitis B for years without symptoms, and not everyone needs medicine. The decision depends on the viral load (HBV DNA), liver tests and the amount of scarring. When tablets are needed, they are usually taken long-term and must not be stopped on your own, because stopping can cause a dangerous flare.

Family members and partners should be tested, and vaccinated if not immune.
A baby born to a mother with hepatitis B needs the hepatitis B vaccine and immunoglobulin within hours of birth. Some mothers also need tablets in late pregnancy.
Some people with hepatitis B need 6-monthly liver cancer checks even without cirrhosis.

Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C is now curable with tablets taken for 8–12 weeks, with very few side effects. More than 95% of people are cured. Free testing and treatment are also available at designated government centres under the National Viral Hepatitis Control Programme.

Cirrhosis

Cirrhosis means the liver is heavily scarred. Many people with cirrhosis have no complications for years (compensated cirrhosis). The aim of treatment is to keep it that way:

Treat the cause — stop alcohol completely, cure hepatitis C, control hepatitis B, lose weight in fatty liver. Improvement is possible.
Endoscopy to check for varices, with banding or medicine to prevent bleeding.
Liver cancer screening — an ultrasound, with or without an AFP blood test, every 6 months.
Diet — do not cut protein; eat small frequent meals with a late-evening snack; keep salt to under 5 g a day if there is fluid. Avoid long fasts.
Medicine safety — avoid painkillers such as diclofenac, ibuprofen and aceclofenac, and unprescribed herbal or "liver tonic" products; some of these damage the liver.
Vaccination against hepatitis A and B, influenza and pneumococcus where needed.

Liver transplant

When cirrhosis becomes advanced, or liver cancer is found early, a liver transplant can be life-saving. If transplant is a good option, you will be referred to a transplant centre of your choice, and care is coordinated before and after the transplant.

Where and how much

Item	Hayat Hospital	Apollo Clinic, Ulubari
Consultation (new or follow-up)	₹1,000	₹1,000
FibroScan	₹4,000	₹4,000
Variceal banding	About ₹15,000	Not done here
Admission for complications	Available	—

Approximate charges as of November 2026, set by each hospital; the billing desk confirms the final amount. Cashless treatment through most insurers and TPAs is available at Hayat Hospital.

Coming from outside Guwahati? Send your reports on WhatsApp first, so the visit can be planned in one trip.

Common questions

Which doctor treats liver problems?

A gastroenterologist or hepatologist (liver specialist) diagnoses and treats liver disease, including hepatitis, fatty liver and cirrhosis. A liver transplant surgeon is involved only if a transplant is needed.

Who should see a liver specialist?

Anyone with abnormal liver tests, fatty liver with diabetes or obesity, hepatitis B or C, jaundice, heavy alcohol use, or a family history of liver disease or liver cancer.

Can I live a long life with cirrhosis?

It depends on the cause, your age and whether complications develop. Many people with compensated cirrhosis live for many years — studies show a median of more than 12 years — and treating the cause can improve this further. Once complications such as fluid in the abdomen, bleeding or confusion appear, the outlook is more serious and transplant assessment is discussed.

What is the best treatment for cirrhosis?

Treating the cause is the most important step: stopping alcohol, curing hepatitis C, controlling hepatitis B and losing weight in fatty liver. Alongside this, endoscopy for varices, good nutrition, avoiding harmful medicines and 6-monthly cancer screening reduce complications.

Is hepatitis B curable?

Hepatitis B can be controlled very well with tablets, which protect the liver, but it is rarely cleared completely. Many people never need treatment and only need regular check-ups. Hepatitis C, in contrast, is curable.

Is FibroScan painful?

No. It is like an ultrasound: a probe is placed on the right side of the chest for about 10 minutes. Come after 3 hours without food for the most accurate result.

Written and medically reviewed by Dr. Mayank Agarwal, MBBS, MD (Medicine), DM (Gastroenterology) · Assam Medical Council Reg. No. 19633 · Last reviewed: 4 November 2026

This page gives general information about liver disease. It does not replace a consultation — the right tests and treatment depend on your own reports and health. Please do not start or stop any medicine without advice.

Based on:

European Association for the Study of the Liver. EASL Clinical Practice Guidelines for the management of patients with decompensated cirrhosis. J Hepatol 2018;69:406–460.
de Franchis R, et al. Baveno VII — Renewing consensus in portal hypertension. J Hepatol 2022;76:959–974.
European Association for the Study of the Liver. EASL Clinical Practice Guidelines on nutrition in chronic liver disease. J Hepatol 2019;70:172–193.
European Association for the Study of the Liver. EASL 2017 Clinical Practice Guidelines on the management of hepatitis B virus infection. J Hepatol 2017;67:370–398.
European Association for the Study of the Liver. EASL recommendations on treatment of hepatitis C: final update of the series. J Hepatol 2020;73:1170–1218.
Singal AG, et al. AASLD Practice Guidance on prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. Hepatology 2023;78:1922–1965.
D'Amico G, Garcia-Tsao G, Pagliaro L. Natural history and prognostic indicators of survival in cirrhosis. J Hepatol 2006;44:217–231.

Liver specialist in Guwahati — cirrhosis, hepatitis B & C, fatty liver