Gastrointestinal / Endoscopy

Bravo® pH Monitoring

A catheter-free test that measures pH levels in your esophagus, for those with chronic heartburn. These measurements, collected over multiple days, allow your physician to evaluate your heartburn and acid reflux symptoms and develop the best treatment plan for you. A capsule, about the size of a gel cap, is temporarily attached to the wall of your esophagus and transmits pH readings using an external telemetry unit that can be attached to your belt.

Bronchoscopy

A procedure that examines your airway through a thin viewing instrument called a bronchoscope. During a bronchoscopy, your physician will examine your throat, larynx, trachea and lower airways.

Electromagnetic Navigation Bronchoscopy™ 

A minimally invasive procedure that uses CT-guided needle biopsy. This procedure allows physicians to navigate and access difficult-to-reach areas of the lung. Using CT scan images, this system creates a roadmap of the thousands of tiny pathways inside the lungs. The LungGPS technology then allows physicians to guide tiny tools through the lung pathways, take tissue samples of lung lesions, and place markers for future treatment.

Colonoscopy 

Colonoscopy is the endoscopic examination of the large bowel and the distal part of the small bowel with a fiber optic camera on a flexible tube passed through the anus. It can provide a visual diagnosis and grants the opportunity for biopsy or removal of suspected colorectal cancer lesions.

• Procedure duration 20-30 mins
• No pain during the procedure

Endoscopic Tattooing

Helps to identify and “localize” small colorectal lesions, especially in laparoscopic surgery.

Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio-Pancreatography (ERCP) 

A specialized technique that combines the use of a flexible, lighted scope (endoscope) with x-ray images to study the bile or biliary ducts (liver), pancreatic duct and gallbladder.

Esophageal Dilation

A procedure that allows your doctor to dilate, or stretch, a narrowed area of your esophagus (swallowing tube). The most common cause of stricture or narrowing of the esophagus is scarring from stomach acid reflux that occurs in patients with heartburn. Patients with a narrowed esophagus often have trouble swallowing. Food may feel like it is “stuck” in the chest region, causing discomfort or pain.

Esophageal Stents

A tiny flexible mesh tube that is placed through a constricted area of your esophagus, allowing food and liquids to pass from your mouth to your stomach for digestion and absorption of nutrients. The stent is placed at the point of narrowing or blockage to open up the esophagus and help you swallow or drink more easily. Stents may be used to treat patients suffering from a persistent benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous) disease.

Esophagogastroduodensoscopy (EGD)

An examination of the lining of your esophagus, stomach and upper duodenum (the upper part of your small intestine) with a small camera on a tube (flexible endoscope) that is inserted down your throat.

Fibroscan

A fibroscan is an evaluation of the liver using a specialized ultrasound machine that measures fibrosis(scarring) and steatosis(fatty change).

This is completed by using a probe in between rib spaces in the right upper abdomen.

• Procedure duration: 10 mins
• No pain during procedure

Flexible Sigmoidoscopy

Flexible sigmoidoscopy is an endoscopic examination of the distal colon-rectum and sigmoid colon with a fiber optic camera. This is passed through the anus with or without sedation.

This can provide a visual diagnosis and grants the opportunity for biopsy or removal of lesions.

• Procedure duration: 10-15 mins
• No pain during procedure

Liver Biopsy

A liver biopsy is done using a long needle inserted between two of the right lower ribs to remove a sample of liver tissue.

The tissue sample is sent to a laboratory and looked at under a microscope to see if there are any liver problems.

• Procedure duration: 5-10 mins
• Mild pain during procedure
• 2-4 hours: You must lay on right side and rest after the procedure

Upper GI Endoscopy

An EGD is an endoscopic examination with a fiber optic camera that evaluates the esophagus, stomach and parts of the small bowel.

It is passed through the mouth. It allows visualization and treatment of the upper GI tract.

• Procedure duration: 10-15 mins
• No pain during procedure

 Radiofrequency Ablation

This is a procedure done during an EGD procedure. This allows for controlled destruction of tissue for precancerous lesions and bleeding sites.

• Procedure duration: 15-30 mins
• No pain during procedure

Small Bowel Capsule Endoscopy

This is a procedure where a large capsule containing a camera is swallowed. The camera takes thousands of pictures over an 8 hour period of the esophagus, stomach and small bowel.

The camera is swallowed at the hospital and the patient may leave and once the procedure is complete, brings back the recorder belt later in the day.

• Procedure duration: 8 hours
• No pain during procedure

Other Advanced GI Procedures

Please follow preparation instructions for your procedure as listed below. If no procedure or instructions are selected, there are no special preparations required or your test.

PEG (Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy) Tube

Also called a feeding tube. One end of this flexible silicone tube sits inside the stomach and is held in place with a balloon-like tip; the other end is taped to your skin. The PEG tube allows nutrition, fluids and/or medications to be directed into the stomach, bypassing the mouth and esophagus. It may be a temporary measure and is not always the sole source of nutrition.

Variceal Banding or Injection

A procedure to treat varices – abnormal, enlarged veins in the esophagus – through a flexible endoscope used to visualize the vessels. This procedure is done to prevent esophageal varices from bleeding, a condition that can be life threatening and requires immediate treatment.

• Variceal banding uses elastic bands to tie off bleeding veins. Your doctor uses an endoscope to wrap the varices with an elastic band, which essentially “strangles” the veins so they can’t bleed.
• Endoscopy injection therapy uses a solution injected into bleeding veins to shrink them.