Gastroenterology Procedures
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.