The liver, as the largest internal organ in the body, performs about 5,000 functions every minute. Among the critical functions are removing waste products from the blood, handling nutrients after being absorbed by the body to be stored as energy, excreting bile which aids in digestion and food absorption, and building the body’s immune system. The liver also processes medications. The liver is so vital that there is no replacement for the function of this organ.
Internal medicine is the medical specialty dealing with the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of adult diseases. Internists are skilled in the management of patients who have undifferentiated or multi-system disease processes. Internists care for hospitalized and ambulatory patients and may play a major role in teaching and research.
Gastroenterology (GI) is a specialized area of medicine that focuses on the GI tract. Some gastroenterologists treat general diseases of the GI. Others focus on a particular type of gastroenterology. Gastroenterology is an area of medicine that focuses on the health of the digestive system, or the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Gastroenterologists can treat everything from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) to hepatitis C.
