Endoscopy units at our hospitals provide diagnostic procedures to patients with gastrointestinal disorders through upper endoscopy, colonoscopy, paracentesis (the sampling of abdominal fluid), video capsule endoscopy and liver biopsy procedures.

Upper Endoscopy
If you are over the age of 40, overweight, have blood relatives with diabetes, have given birth to a baby over nine pounds, or have suffered from frequent miscarriages, you may be at risk. Symptoms alone may not suggest the presence of the disease, but if you have more than two of the symptoms based above, testing is strongly recommended. Call your physician or the Diabetes Treatment Center and arrange for a diabetes screening.

Colonoscopy
The procedure is used to look for early signs of cancer in the colon and rectum allowing the physician to look inside the entire large intestine, from the lowest part, the rectum, all the way up through the colon to the lower end of the small intestine. It is also used to diagnose the causes of unexplained changes in bowel habits. Colonoscopy enables the physician to see inflamed tissue, abnormal growths, ulcers and bleeding. It is a recommended procedure for those 50 and over.

Endoscopic Ultrasound and ERCP's Endoscopic Ultrasound
As a combination of endoscopy and high frequency ultrasound, it enables the physician to visualize and biopsy tumors or abnomalities that lie outside the BI tract, such as the lungs or pancreas.

Video Capsule Endoscopy
This is a capsule containing a miniature camera. Once swallowed by a patient, this tiny technology takes pictures of the lining of the small intestine. It is an internal imaging system that helps nail down an accurate diagnosis and helps determine the best approach for resolving complex digestive problems. It can detect polyps, cancer and sources of bleeding in the small intestine that current tests cannot always find. Click here for more info.

For more information, call 359-WELL (804-359-9355).