

Zhu Dan Hua

About me
Hunan Provincial People's Hospital attending physician.
Proficient in diseases
Specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of common liver, gallbladder, and pancreatic diseases.

Voices

Is biliary reflux gastritis related to cholecystitis?
Bile reflux gastritis and cholecystitis are not necessarily related, they are two different diseases. Bile reflux gastritis is generally a type of chronic gastritis, mainly characterized by abdominal discomfort, with most patients experiencing abdominal pain such as dull pain, distension pain, and colic, among others. Of course, some patients also experience changes in appetite, nausea, belching, and burping, etc. Patients should visit the gastroenterology department of their local hospital for a gastroscopic examination to confirm the diagnosis. Under a gastroscopy, bile reflux gastritis primarily exhibits symptoms such as mucosal congestion and edema, accompanied by bile, thus confirming the diagnosis. Treatment involves dietary adjustments and medication. It is recommended that patients consume a light diet, develop good living and eating habits, and may choose acid-suppressing and stomach-protecting medications, with a treatment duration of 2-4 weeks. Cholecystitis, on the other hand, is generally a cholecystitis-related condition, typically exhibiting symptoms such as abdominal pain, fever, and jaundice, etc. The general treatment for cholecystitis primarily involves anti-infection therapy.

Should gastric polyps be removed?
Gastric polyps are relatively common in clinical practice. For patients with gastric polyps, regular follow-up visits are the main focus, especially when the polyps are small, and particularly when they are less than 0.5 centimeters in size. We recommend that these patients have regular follow-up appointments, with a gastroscopy examination about every six months to a year being appropriate. Of course, if a patient has a history of gastric cancer and develops gastric polyps, especially larger ones over 1 centimeter in size, we recommend aggressive endoscopic removal. After removal, the polyps should be sent for examination to clarify their nature. Subsequent regular follow-up appointments are also necessary, typically involving a gastroscopy check every six months to a year. If gastric polyps continue to form, aggressive endoscopic removal treatment is advised. Therefore, treatment choices for gastric polyps vary depending on the size, location, and nature of the polyp, with regular follow-up as the primary approach and endoscopic removal when necessary.

Can gastric polyps recur?
For patients with gastric polyps, it is necessary to regularly re-examine the gastroscopy to be alert for recurrence after endoscopic removal, as some patients are likely to relapse clinically. Therefore, it is mandatory for patients with gastric polyps to have a gastroscopy check every six months to a year. Of course, it is advised that patients further screen for Helicobacter pylori, and if Helicobacter pylori is positive, proactive anti-Helicobacter pylori treatment is recommended. Clinically, gastric polyps are relatively common and are usually benign lesions, so there is no need to overthink or bear a heavy psychological burden. Patients generally seek medical advice for abdominal discomfort and this is most commonly seen in the department of gastroenterology, presenting symptoms such as bloating, abdominal pain, belching, and even nausea. Therefore, it is recommended that such patients undergo thorough gastroscopic examination, as the diagnosis of gastric polyps mainly relies on gastroscopy.

What are the symptoms of gastritis?
Gastritis is a common gastrointestinal disease with a variety of symptoms, including abdominal pain, bloating, nausea, vomiting, and hiccups. Sometimes, patients may feel full quickly, such as feeling bloated, abdominal pain, and burping after eating, so the symptoms are generally not specific. If treatment is necessary, an initial choice could be a gastroscopy. If no issues are found during the gastroscopy, symptomatic treatment could be provided. However, if symptoms extend beyond gastrointestinal issues like abdominal pain, bloating, nausea, and vomiting, and include anemia, fever, noticeable weight loss, and wasting, it is especially advised for elderly individuals to visit the hospital for further examinations including gastroscopy to rule out diseases such as gastric ulcers.

Can fatty liver be cured?
Fatty liver is relatively common in clinical practice, often seen in obese patients or those who consume alcohol excessively. Fatty liver is also categorized as mild, moderate, or severe in clinical settings. Generally, mild fatty liver does not accompany liver function abnormalities. For such patients, the main approach involves appropriate weight loss, exercise, and dietary control. If there are indeed complications like cirrhosis or more severe liver disease, including abnormal liver functions, systematic diagnosis and treatment are recommended. Besides completing abdominal ultrasound and liver function tests, it is also suggested to conduct quantitative hepatitis B virus tests to eliminate the possibility of hepatitis B virus-induced steatosis. Generally, fatty liver can be treated successfully; however, if it is complicated by cirrhosis, the main principle of treatment is to prevent complications, and complete cure may not be possible. Therefore, regarding fatty liver, there is no need for excessive worry, but standard treatment should be followed. Particularly if the fatty liver is complicated by cirrhosis, active diagnosis and treatment are generally recommended.

What are the symptoms of bile reflux gastritis?
Bile reflux gastritis is a type of chronic gastritis that is commonly seen in clinical settings. It is generally believed to be caused by bile reflux leading to inflammation of the stomach and discomfort. The symptoms of bile reflux gastritis typically include abdominal pain, bloating, nausea, and belching, among others, with abdominal pain being particularly common. The pain usually occurs in the upper abdomen, specifically above the navel, and is episodic, occurring less frequently at night. It is generally related to diet and tends to improve after eating. The common nature of the pain is usually a dull, bloating, or burning sensation. However, patients generally do not experience fever, anemia, emaciation, or weight loss. The treatment of bile reflux gastritis typically involves strengthening acid suppression and gastric protection, choosing some gastric protective and bile-antagonistic drugs. The treatment effectiveness is generally good and not overly concerning. (The use of drugs should be under the guidance of a doctor.)

Can esophagitis be treated with surgery?
Esophagitis is relatively common in clinical settings, and the treatment plan generally involves medical therapy rather than surgery as the first choice. However, if complications such as obstruction, bleeding, or even cancer occur, surgical treatment is usually undertaken. For medication selection, one can choose drugs that protect the mucous membrane, reduce acid, and improve gastrointestinal motility. It is important to pay attention to diet and post-meal posture in daily life, avoid binge eating, eat smaller and more frequent meals, and avoid intake of high-sugar, high-fat foods, opting instead for a light, easily digestible diet. Post-meal posture involves not lying down immediately after eating, especially for a nap, and it is recommended that patients sit for half an hour before lying down to rest to prevent reflux. Most patients can control the symptoms of esophagitis with active medical treatment and dietary adjustments, and do not need surgical treatment. (Please use medications under the guidance of a professional physician.)

What causes bile reflux gastritis?
Bile reflux gastritis is generally believed to be caused by bile reflux leading to inflammation in the stomach. It can cause abdominal discomfort in patients, where the discomfort typically presents as abdominal pain, bloating, nausea, and vomiting. The abdominal pain is often in the upper abdomen, characteristically above the navel and typically episodic; it may improve after eating, with fasting pain being the most common. The pain is primarily in the upper abdomen, without accompanying radiating pain to the upper back, fever, etc. Nausea and vomiting are also fairly common, considered to be reactions of the digestive tract, and closely related to bile reflux. Regarding treatment, the main approaches include dietary adjustments and medication. Medications can include acid reducing, stomach protecting, and anti-bile reflux drugs. For diet, it is recommended that patients maintain a regular, bland diet and avoid spicy and irritating foods. (Medication should be used under the guidance of a doctor.)

Do inflammatory gastric polyps need to be removed?
Gastric polyps are relatively common in clinical practice, and generally, patients do not exhibit specific symptoms. They are often discovered during physical examinations or incidental gastroscopic exams. When numerous or particularly large gastric polyps are present, a gastroscopic biopsy is usually conducted at the same time as the gastroscopy. If the pathology biopsy indicates that the polyp is an inflammatory gastric polyp, especially if it is small, less than 1 centimeter, we recommend regular observation without actively pursuing endoscopic removal. Some patients' inflammatory polyps may regress on their own. For treatment, one can choose gastric protective medication for symptomatic observation, with a gastroscopy follow-up every six months to a year. Of course, if the polyp is considered to be inflammatory and particularly large, greater than two centimeters, we recommend removal by endoscopy as a precautionary measure, despite the fact that the risk of cancer transformation in gastric polyps is relatively small but possible.

Symptoms of duodenal ulcer
Duodenal ulcers are relatively common in clinical practice and are a frequent condition in gastroenterology. Duodenal ulcers are generally more prevalent among middle-aged individuals, with symptoms most commonly including abdominal pain, bloating, nausea, and vomiting. The abdominal pain typically manifests as upper abdominal pain, usually hunger pain which often improves after eating. It typically presents as long-term, chronic episodes over extended periods and can also occur at night as hunger pain. Therefore, for some typical patients, especially middle-aged individuals, upper abdominal pain should raise concerns about duodenal ulcers. If a patient exhibits symptoms other than abdominal pain, such as black stools, this could suggest bleeding associated with duodenal ulcers, potentially leading to black stools or even vomiting blood. Hence, it is advised that if a patient has symptoms of gastrointestinal bleeding along with abdominal pain, consideration should be given to the possibility of a bleeding duodenal ulcer. It is recommended that such patients undergo thorough gastroscopic examinations to clarify the diagnosis further.