Minimally invasive GI care

St. John's hospitals specializes in minimally invasive GI procedures—helping you find relief and get back up to speed faster.

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Gastroenterology

Gastroenterology is the field of medicine that specializes in treating diseases of the digestive tract (esophagus and stomach), the gallbladder and biliary tract, pancreas, liver and large intestine (colon and rectum). Common symptoms associated with gastroenterology conditions include, but are not limited to, abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, bleeding from the digestive tract, regurgitation, and difficulty swallowing.

Understanding Your Symptoms

Common symptoms associated with gastrointestinal disorders include, but are not limited to, abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, bleeding from the digestive tract, regurgitation, and difficulty swallowing.

 

Transoral Incisionless Fundoplication

If you’re among the 20% of Americans who suffer from Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease,  or GERD, you know the impact it can have on your life. Thanks to a weak valve between your stomach and esophagus, stomach acid flows backward, causing painful heartburn and even regurgitation. Transoral Incisionless Fundoplication, or TIF, is a minimally invasive procedure to treat  severe and ongoing acid reflux with greater effectiveness and comfort than other options. 

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Conditions Treated

Our board certified gastroenterologists work in conjunction with our onsite radiologists, pathologists, surgeons and oncologists to offer our patients excellent care and comprehensive treatment through consultative services, inpatient/outpatient care and procedures. We treat a variety of gastroenterology conditions including:

  • Cirrhosis
  • Disorders of digestion
  • Dysphagia (swallowing difficulties)
  • Esophageal disease, including gastroesophageal reflux (GERD), Barrett’s esophagus, hiatal hernia and perforated esophagus
  • Fatty liver disease
  • Gallstones
  • GERD
  • Hepatitis
  • Hepatobiliary disease in pregnancy
  • Hernia
  • Irritable bowel disease
  • Inflammatory diseases such as Crohn’s Disease, esophagitis, ulcerative colitis, diverticulitis, pancreatitis, gallstones and cholecystitis
  • Pancreatic cysts
  • Pancreaticobiliary tumors/malignancies
  • Peptic ulcers, gastritis, and helicobacter pylori (infection of the stomach)
  • Tumors (benign and malignant) of the GI tract, such as esophageal, gastric, liver, pancreatic colon and rectal
  • Upper/lower GI bleeding
  • Varices (varicose veins of the GI tract)

Have You Had Your Colonoscopy?

Both men and women are equally at risk for colon cancer and the risk of developing colorectal cancer increases with age. Screening tests for colorectal cancer is recommended  at age 45+ and continue at regular intervals or at the recommendation of a physician. Although colorectal cancer is most common among people age 45 and older, it can also occur in teenagers. The majority of colon cancers appear in individuals with no known risk factors, which is why regular screenings are so important.

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Begin Screening to Help Prevent Colon Cancer

Although anyone can get colon cancer, some people are at a much higher risk for developing the disease.

Some factors that increase the likelihood of getting colon cancer include:

  • 45 years of age or older
  • A history of inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn’s disease, or ulcerative colitis
  • A family history of colorectal polyps or colorectal cancer
  • Type 2 diabetes
  • Gene mutations or genetic syndromes
  • African-American race

Common Procedures

At Dignity health, we invest in the latest technology, including minimally invasive procedures, for diagnosing and treating gastroenterology disorders. Advanced procedures include:

  • Colonoscopy, including biopsy, polypectomy, treatment of bleeding sites, dilation and stent placement
  • Endoscopic hemostatic therapy
  • Endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) of colonic, gastric, and duodenal pre-cancerous lesions
  • Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), including papillotomy, stone extraction/lithotripsy, stent placement
  • Enteroscopy
  • Esophageal dilation
  • Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD)
  • LINX for acid reflux
  • Nissen fundoplication
  • Pancreatobiliary endoscopy
  • Purcutaneous endoscopic gastronomy
  • Spyglass Direct Visualization System
  • Upper endoscopy, including biopsy and treatment of bleeding sites, dilation, stent placement and Botox treatment for achalasia

Learn more

To learn more about our services and how we can help, please call us at (877) 753-6248 or use our online feature, Find a Doctor.