Gastroenterology (Endoscopy & ERCP)

The Gastroenterology Department at Yashoda Super Speciality Hospitals excels in the expertise embedded in the study, diagnosis, treatment and aftermath of digestive system and its related health anomalies. The disorders of the digestive system may affect essential parts of the digestive tract such as the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine (colon), rectum, liver, gallbladder, or pancreas.

Gastroenterology is said to encompass the diagnosis and treatment of ailments involving the digestive tract along with the liver. It pools in itself a diverse bandwidth of problems such as swallowing disorders, heartburn, ulcers, abdominal pain, weight loss, diarrhea, colitis, constipation, jaundice, bleeding, colon polyps, and even cancer of the digestive tract.

Diseases whose diagnosis & treatment is available at Yashoda Hospitals:

• Alcohol induced liver disease
• Colon cancer screening
• Heartburn
• Esophageal cancer
• Intra-gastric balloon in obesity
• Colonoscopy
• Capsule endoscopy
• Upper endoscopy
• ERCP

Over the years, Yashoda Hospitals has established itself as one of the best & topmost Gastroenterology hospitals in India. Yashoda’s Gastroenterology Diagnosis Centre holds in its premises, the futuristic & state of the art medical and clinical equipment supported by advanced intensive care units (ICUs). The high – end facility at Yashoda provides crystal clear diagnosis of diseases of the Liver and Gastro – Intestinal in children as well as adults. Our Gastroenterology professionals offer expert care in both Medical and Surgical Gastroenterology. The specialists of Gastroenterology at Yashoda Hospitals provide world – class treatment with painless endoscopic procedures of complex gastrointestinal diseases and clinical services in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of health anomalies of the digestive tract and liver such as:

• Acidity
• Constipation / incomplete evacuation
• Bleeding in stool
• Cirrhosis of liver
• Diarrhoea
• Fatty liver & hepatitis
• Gas problem
• Jaundice
• Gallbladder and pancreas problems including stones
• Obesity treatment
• All sorts of gastric, intestinal, biliary, liver & pancreatic cancers.

Endoscopy:

Endoscopy is regarded as a nonsurgical procedure performed with a purpose to have a closer and defined look into a person’s digestive tract. It is done using an endoscope; a flexible tube with a light source and camera attached to it. The clear visuals of the digestive tract of that person under diagnosis are displayed on a TV monitor.

During an Upper GI Endoscopy process, the endoscope is given entry through the mouth and through the throat into the esophagus. This allows the specialist to view the esophagus, stomach, and even upper part of the small intestine. Similarly, endoscopes can also be made to gain entrances into the large intestine (colon) through the rectum to examine the area. This procedure is called colonoscopy. A special type of endoscopy procedure called Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) allows the visuals of the pancreas, gallbladder, and related structures.

At Yashoda Hospitals, endoscopy is routinely performed for the following scenarios:

• For patients suffering from gastrointestinal bleeding.
• For patients having difficulty in swallowing owing to esophageal stricture or achalasia; Endoscopic dilatation is used to treat it and on similar lines, dilatation of the colonic strictures can also be carried out.
• Endoscopic removal of gastric / colonic polyps is frequently performed.
• For patients with obstructive jaundice, ERCP / papillotomy / stone extraction from CBD / biliary stenting (plastic as well as metal stents) can be performed.
• Placement of pancreatic stents in patients with severe pain due to chronic calcific pancreatitis is done.
• Diagnostic procedures such as esophageal manometry, pH studies and rectal manometry are available at Yashoda Hospitals help not only in diagnosis but also in deciding which patients with gastroesophageal reflux are likely to require surgery.
• Other procedures like liver biopsy and diagnostic along with therapeutic paracentesis are routinely performed through endoscopy.

ERCP:

ERCP is a clinical procedure that enables the physician to diagnose health anomalies existing in the gallbladder, bile ducts and pancreas.

Bile is a liquid generated by the liver that helps with digestion.

The gallbladder is a small, pear – shaped organ that stores this bile until it is further needed for digestion. Bile ducts are tubes that carry bile from the liver to the gallbladder and small intestine. These ducts are called the biliary tree.

The pancreas is a large gland that produces chemicals that help with digestion and also secretes hormones such as insulin.

ERCP is primarily employed as a therapeutic procedure for treatment of diseases ofthe following:

A. Bile Duct:

• Extraction of bile duct stones.
• Crushing of large bile stones and retrieving them.
• Relieving jaundice due to bile duct narrowing.
• Treatment of bile duct infection and placing stents / catheter in bile duct for free drainage of bile into duodenum.
• Stopping leakage of bile in bile duct injuries as a result of trauma and surgery.
• Metallic stent placement for relief in itching and jaundice in bile duct, pancreatic, gallbladder cancers.

B. Pancreas:

• Relief of pain in chronic pancreatitis.
• Removal of pancreatic duct stones.
• Dilating the narrowed pancreatic duct.
• Placing of stents to facilitate drainage of infected fluid collection in pancreatitis (Pseudocyst drainage).

ERCP is a combination of X – Rays and an endoscope; Dyes are injected into the ducts in the biliary tree and pancreas so they become visible on X – Ray films.

The Gastroenterology Department at Yashoda Hospitals houses Endoscopy Units having dedicated machines with the latest technology to facilitate both diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. The endoscopic procedures are performed under the guarantee of the patient’s safety and comfort with proper monitoring 24x7 in parallel to ensuring the highest standard of medical care being delivered.