With obesity and metabolic syndrome reaching alarming levels in Malaysia, clinicians are looking beyond conventional approaches to expand the bariatric toolbox. Among the emerging options, intragastric balloons (IGBs) are gaining momentum as a minimally invasive, endoscopic solution to support the initial step in weight loss alongside lifestyle change. At the recent “Intragastric Balloon” workshop hosted by the Department of Surgery, Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz (HCTM) UKM in Kuala Lumpur, leading experts in bariatric innovation shared their perspectives on advancing IGB therapy in clinical practice. 

Functional dyspepsia (FD) is a common gut-brain interaction disorder that primarily affects adults and imposes a significant economic burden. Treatment guidelines vary, leading to inconsistencies in management approaches. A randomized, single-blinded trial was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of subtype-specific treatment vs. empirical proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy in adults with FD. Findings suggest that both treatment approaches significantly improved the overall symptoms and health-related quality of life (HRQoL), with no clear advantage of either, over another in FD management.

In 2016, a young woman in her 20s complained of sudden abdominal pain in the morning which then deteriorated rapidly, and was subsequently admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of Prince of Wales Hospital (PWH). The patient was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease (CD). During her ICU stay, the patient underwent 2 major surgical procedures and received massive blood transfusion due to her severe intestinal bleeding. The patient had been staying in the ICU for 3 months and was discharged from PWH only about 3 years later. This case reminds us of the considerable suffering of the CD patients and the immense challenges of overall disease management. Considering its rising prevalence in Hong Kong, CD is set to increase the medical needs of patients and the disease burden of the society. In an interview with Omnihealth Practice, Dr. Lam, Long-Yan Kelvin talked about the latest advances in CD management and the ongoing difficulties in local clinical practice.

Hepatitis C is an infectious liver disease caused by the blood-borne hepatitis C virus (HCV). About 70% of patients infected with HCV will develop chronic hepatitis which may lead to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In Hong Kong, patients are mostly infected through blood or blood products transfusion prior to the introduction of anti-HCV screening to the blood transfusion service in 1991. In a recent interview with Omnihealth Practice, Dr. Loo, Ching-Kong, Specialist in Gastroenterology and Hepatology, shared his insights on the local management strategies of hepatitis C.