Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology And Nutrition
Pediatric Gastroenterology & Nutrition Care in Chennai
The Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition at Kanchi Kamakoti CHILDS Trust Hospital runs outpatient clinics which focus on management of liver, gastrointestinal and nutritional disorders.
Specialized care for Pediatric Liver disease
We manage liver disorders include neonatal cholestasis – biliary atresia, metabolic liver diseases like glycogen storage disorder, Wilsons disease, autoimmune hepatitis, bile acid transport defects, and fatty liver disease.
Expert Care for Childhood Gastrointestinal Problems
Gastroenterological problems seen in children include chronic abdominal pain, chronic constipation, feeding problems, vomiting, chronic diarrhea – lactose intolerance, cow’s milk protein allergy, celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease or IBD and pancreatic problems.
Management of Pediatric Nutritional Disorders
Nutritional disorders dealt by the department include failure to thrive, anorexia, malabsorption as well as obesity.
Advanced Pediatric Endoscopy & Colonoscopy Services
With the availability of pediatric endoscopes, endoscopy in children including young infants and even newborns is a reality. Since the beginning of the new department in 2009, over 600 procedures, both diagnostic and therapeutic are performed here every year. The hospital boasts of a 24-hr endoscopy facility to help deal with emergencies like GI bleed or swallowed foreign objects like button batteries and open safety pins. Besides a huge no of colonoscopy polypectomies. We also perform complex procedures like dilations for pin hole tight esophageal strictures and percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomies – PEG, esophage of stent and placement control of bleeding varies.
Collaborative Approach with Pediatric Surgery & PICU
The department is supported by excellent gastro lab services available in the hospital. The department has close ties with the department of pediatric surgery, emergency and intensive care units, consultant pediatricians and other specialists in the hospital emphasizing the importance of teamwork which is needed for a successful outcome.
Training Pediatricians in Gastroenterology
The department has also successfully been running a training program for upskilling pediatricians in pediatric gastroenterology since 2017.
Consultants
Visiting ConsultantsSenior Consultant Gastroenterologist & Hepatologist
Gastroenterologist & Hepatologist
Senior Consultant
Pediatric Hepatologist & Transplant
Senior Consultant
Visiting Teaching Faculty in Pediatric Gastroenterology.
FAQ
- KKCTH's gastroenterology department, established in 2009 and led by Dr. Srinivas S (DCH, DNB, PDCC, Gastro Fellowship Australia), manages the comprehensive range of gastrointestinal disorders affecting children from infancy to adolescence.
- Conditions include chronic abdominal pain, chronic constipation, recurrent vomiting, inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis), coeliac disease, lactose intolerance and cow's milk protein allergy, chronic diarrhoea, gastrointestinal haemorrhage, swallowed foreign bodies (including button batteries), oesophageal stricture, gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, and pancreatic disorders. Visiting senior consultants Dr. Malathi Sathiyasekaran and Dr. Nirmala Natarajan contribute additional hepatological and gastroenterological expertise.
- Yes. Over 600 endoscopic procedures—both diagnostic and therapeutic, are performed annually at KKCTH, with a 24-hour emergency endoscopy facility for urgent cases.
- The department's paediatric endoscopes are sized for use in young infants and even neonates, enabling upper GI endoscopy (oesophagogastroduodenoscopy), colonoscopy with polypectomy, and complex interventional procedures including oesophageal dilation for pinhole strictures, percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube placement, variceal band ligation, and oesophageal stent placement. Emergency endoscopy for GI bleeding or ingested foreign objects is available at all hours.
- Yes. KKCTH specialises in paediatric liver disease, including neonatal cholestasis, metabolic liver conditions, autoimmune hepatitis, and end-stage liver disease requiring surgical evaluation.
- The hepatology service manages biliary atresia (the Kasai portoenterostomy is performed in conjunction with Dr. Priya Ramachandran's surgical team), glycogen storage disorders, Wilson's disease, bile acid transport defects, autoimmune hepatitis, and paediatric non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Visiting consultant Dr. Naresh Shanmugam (Paediatric Hepatologist and Transplant specialist) provides expert input for complex hepatic cases requiring transplant evaluation.
- Yes. Nutritional assessment and individualised dietary counselling are integral components of care within the Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition department.
- A dedicated paediatric dietitian works within the department to manage failure to thrive, malabsorption syndromes, feeding difficulties, obesity-related metabolic issues, and the dietary requirements of children with inflammatory bowel disease or post-surgical anatomy. Total parenteral nutrition (TPN) support is available for children requiring bowel rest or with intestinal failure.
- Yes. Children with conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease, coeliac disease, autoimmune hepatitis, and chronic liver disease require structured long-term follow-up to monitor disease activity, medication response, and growth.
- KKCTH has been running a training programme for paediatric gastroenterology since 2017, reflecting the department's academic commitment alongside clinical service. Long-term surveillance includes periodic endoscopy, laboratory monitoring, imaging, and nutritional assessment at intervals determined by disease severity and treatment protocol.
- Yes. The gastroenterology team works in direct collaboration with the paediatric surgery department for conditions requiring operative intervention.
- Conditions where surgical-gastroenterological collaboration is routinely required include biliary atresia, intestinal polyp syndromes (colonoscopic polypectomy or surgical resection), oesophageal atresia, Hirschsprung's disease, and complications of inflammatory bowel disease. The shared infrastructure of KKCTH—including PICU, neonatal surgical facilities, and 24-hour emergency cover, ensures seamless escalation from medical to surgical management when required.