Painless liver test introduced in Nepal
KATHMANDU, June 19 (Xinhua) — Nepal’s National Reference Laboratory has introduced a new service “fibro scan” to measure the stiffness of the liver without following any painful procedure or surgery, local media reported on Tuesday.
Until now, the stiffness of liver used to be measured by conducting biopsy and histopathological examination.
Liver biopsy is a painful procedure and it requires admission of the patients in hospital, Hepatologist Dr. Santosh Man Shrestha of Bir Hospital Liver Unit, was quoted by The Rising Nepal daily as saying.
Moreover, it has a high risk of bleeding and even death as 1 percent patients could die during liver biopsy, Dr. Shrestha said.
According to Shrestha, the fibro scan is a painless procedure as an expert can complete the test in 5-10 minutes.
The test report can be handed over immediately, he said.
Doctors said that the technique has gained popularity around the world.
In Nepal, some 150 patients have already undergone the test and the results were found much satisfactory. The service is available at private health centers.
This test will also help in assessing the treatment of liver disease. The diagnosis that could be incorrect by ultrasound test can now be accurate from the fibro scan, Dr. Dilip Sharma, who was trained in China and works in the Liver Unit in Bir hospital, said.
Most of the procedures related to liver disease are now being done in Nepal regularly, Dr. Sharma added.
The need of going abroad for liver treatment due to unavailability of the treatment facility in the country has decreased significantly, he stated. <Xinhua>
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