Liver Specialist · Dubai
Hepatologist
in Dubai
A hepatologist looks after the liver and bile ducts — fatty liver picked up on a scan, hepatitis, autoimmune disease, cirrhosis, and follow-up after transplant. Consulting at HealthBay, Al Wasl, Dubai.
Liver Conditions Treated
Hepatology in Dubai — what is seen here
Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD/MASLD)
Often picked up on a routine scan. FibroScan to stage fibrosis, then a plan that matches what is driving it — not a generic diet sheet.
Autoimmune Hepatitis
Needs a secure diagnosis before immunosuppression. Monitoring after that is as important as the first prescription.
Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC)
UDCA first, then newer agents if the response is incomplete. Itch and fatigue are treated as part of the illness, not as an afterthought. This was a focus of the doctoral research.
Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC)
Surveillance, ERCP when a dominant stricture needs treating, and transplant assessment if the disease progresses.
Chronic Hepatitis B
Not everyone needs antivirals on day one. Viral load, liver tests, and cancer risk decide the pace.
Chronic Hepatitis C
Usually curable with 8–12 weeks of direct-acting antivirals. Side effects are generally modest compared with older interferon regimens.
Liver Cirrhosis
Treat the cause where possible, watch for varices and fluid, and screen for liver cancer every six months.
Liver Transplant Hepatology
Work-up before listing, and long-term follow-up after — including patients transplanted in the UK or elsewhere who now live in Dubai.
Liver Cancer (HCC) Surveillance
Six-monthly ultrasound and AFP in people with cirrhosis or other high-risk disease. Finding a lesion early changes the options.
IgG4-Related Liver Disease
Uncommon, and easy to mistake for PSC or cancer. Steroids are often effective once the diagnosis is right.
Alcohol-Related Liver Disease
Honest assessment, nutritional support, and a medical plan that does not pretend alcohol is a side issue.
Drug-Induced Liver Injury (DILI)
Stop the likely drug, exclude the other causes, and watch recovery. The list of culprits is longer than most people expect.
Background
How this practice approaches liver disease
Several years at the Leeds Liver Unit as a Consultant Transplant Hepatologist meant these cases were daily work: autoimmune disease, decompensated cirrhosis, post-transplant complications — not an occasional referral.
A research PhD from the University of Leeds looked at liver disease biomarkers, with papers in The Lancet, Hepatology, and Therap Adv Gastroenterol on PBC, PSC, and transplant strictures.
That combination — time in a transplant centre, and a habit of asking why a treatment works — is what shapes the consultation.
What to Expect
The first liver consultation
History
Symptoms, medicines, metabolic risk, alcohol, family history. It takes time, because the diagnosis often sits in the detail.
Tests
Blood work, an ultrasound, and often a FibroScan. Not every test is needed on day one.
What it means
Results explained in plain language — what is going on, how far it has progressed, and what can wait versus what should not.
A written plan
Monitoring, medication, or in some cases a conversation about transplant assessment. Clear enough to re-read after you leave.
FAQ
Seeing a hepatologist in Dubai — questions patients ask
What does a hepatologist treat?
The liver, bile ducts, and gallbladder — fatty liver, hepatitis B and C, autoimmune hepatitis, primary biliary cholangitis, PSC, cirrhosis, and follow-up after liver transplant. In practice this overlaps with gastroenterology, which is why dual training is useful. Most people with a liver problem do not need two separate doctors.
When should I see a hepatologist in Dubai?
Abnormal liver tests, jaundice, fatty liver on a scan, known hepatitis B or C, persistent itch or fatigue that has not been explained, or if you have had a liver transplant. A single abnormal blood test is often enough reason to come in — it does not have to wait until you feel unwell.
Does Dr. Vinod treat fatty liver (NAFLD) in Dubai?
Yes. It is one of the conditions seen most often here, particularly given how common metabolic risk factors are in the UAE. Assessment usually means blood tests, an ultrasound, and often a FibroScan. From there: what is driving it, what can change, and how closely it needs watching.
Can hepatitis C be cured in Dubai?
In most people, yes. Direct-acting antivirals cure hepatitis C in about 95% of cases over 8–12 weeks, with far fewer side effects than older interferon treatment. Evaluation and treatment are done at HealthBay.
Can liver cirrhosis be treated?
Established cirrhosis does not fully reverse, but progression can often be slowed and complications managed — fluid, varices, encephalopathy, and six-monthly checks for liver cancer. When transplant becomes the right conversation, that can be coordinated from here.
Appointments
See a hepatologist in Dubai
HealthBay Gastroenterology & Digestive Health, Al Wasl Road, Dubai (Sun, Mon, Wed, Fri: 8 AM – 5 PM)
Medcare Hospital, Sharjah (Tue & Thu: 8 AM – 4 PM)
HealthBay Community Care, Motorcity, Dubai (Sat: 9 AM – 3 PM)
Also offering: ERCP & Biliary Endoscopy · Colonoscopy & Endoscopy · Liver Disease Treatment