Below, learn about some of the digestive care procedures commonly administered by LifeBridge Health’s gastroenterology experts.
Smart Pill
This procedure involves ingesting a capsule in the
physician's office. This test allows your physician to
monitor pH and pressure through your entire GI tract. Using
these measurements, the physician can calculate regional
transit times to evaluate you for a motility disorder.
Endoscopy
This procedure enables the physician to look inside the
esophagus, stomach and duodenum and may be used to evaluate
swallowing difficulties, nausea, vomiting, reflux, bleeding,
indigestion, abdominal pain or chest pain.
Colonoscopy
This is an examination of the large intestine where inflamed
tissue, abnormal growths, ulcers or early signs of cancer of
the colon and rectum can be detected. A colonoscopy can also
be used to determine the causes of unexplained changes in
bowel habits and to evaluate symptoms like abdominal pain,
rectal bleeding, weight loss, diarrhea and constipation. A
colonoscopy is recommended for adults over age 50 to screen
for colorectal cancer.
ERCP (Endoscopic Retrograde
Cholangiopancreatography)
An ERCP is used to diagnose and treat conditions of the bile
ducts, including gallstones, inflammatory strictures, leaks
and cancer.
EUS (Endoscopic
ultrasonography)
An EUS is used to diagnose the stage of various
gastrointestinal cancers, chronic pancreatitis, and other
masses or cysts of the pancreas. It may be used to study
bile duct abnormalities.
Cholangioscopy
This procedure is used to examine the biliary ducts, and for
the detection and clearance of biliary stones.
Capsule
Enteroscopy
This procedure, also known as the pill cam, involves
swallowing a pill-sized video capsule, which has its own
light and camera that takes pictures of the walls of the
bowel. It can detect small tumors, bleeds, ulcers or masses.
PEG (Percutaneous endoscopic
gastrostomy) Placement
This is a procedure for placing a feeding tube in the
stomach without having to perform an open operation on the
abdomen. It is used to provide food and nutrition.
PEJ (Percutaneous endoscopic
jejunostomy) Placement
This is a procedure for placing a feeding tube in the small
intestine without having to perform an open operation on the
abdomen. It is used to provide food and nutrition.
Motility Study
A motility study is performed to diagnose a condition of
abnormal function of the muscles of the stomach and/or small
intestine. If these muscles grow weak and don’t close the
right way, food and liquid can move back up into the
esophagus and cause heartburn.
pH Monitoring of the Upper GI
Tract
This test measures how often stomach acid enters the
esophagus. Increased acid in the esophagus can be a sign of
heartburn, difficulty swallowing, Barrett’s esophagus or
gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
Hydrogen Breath Test
This test is used to determine the absorption rate of
different types of sugars, such as lactose, sucrose or
fructose. It is used to determine lactose intolerance or
abnormal bacteria.