Gastroenterology

An endoscopy is an internal investigation of your stomach and bowel. It allows us to accurately diagnose gastrointestinal disorders.

We do more than 10,000 endoscopic procedures every year as outpatient day cases.

We also perform therapeutic endoscopic procedures including:

• removal of bowel polyps
• dilatations of esophageal strictures
• insertion of feeding tubes
• insertion of stents
• relieving jaundice by removing gallstones or stenting pancreatic tumours.

A gastroscopy is a procedure where we use a thin, flexible tube called an endoscope to look inside your oesophagus (gullet), stomach and the first part of your small intestine (duodenum). It can help us to investigate problems and diagnose conditions including:

• difficulty swallowing (dysphagia)
• persistent tummy pain
• stomach ulcers
• persistent heartburn and acid reflux (gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD)
• bleeding ulcers and blockages
• non cancerous polyps and small cancerous tumours.

We also use gastroscopy as a treatment for certain conditions, for example to provide nutrients via a feeding tube and widen a narrowed oesophagus.

Watch a short video which explains what to expect from a gastroscopy.

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A colonoscopy is a test to check inside your bowels. A long, thin, flexible tube with a small camera inside it is passed into your bottom.

You’ll be given a laxative so your bowels are empty for the test.

The test can help us to diagnose what’s causing your bowel symptoms including:

• Crohn’s disease
• diverticular disease or diverticulitis
• ulcerative colitis
• bowel cancer

We can also use a colonoscopy to remove growths in your bowls (polyps) which we’ll then test. Your results will tell you if you need any further tests or treatment.

Watch a short video which explains what to expect from a colonoscopy.

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We discuss patient cases at weekly multi-disciplinary team meetings to discuss the best treatment for your individual circumstances.

We treat oesophagus, stomach, pancreas, liver and colon cancers.

We assess and treat patients with hepatitis C with antiviral drugs at a dedicated weekly clinic at Amersham Hospital.

Malnutrition regularly accompanies gastrointestinal disease. We work closely with the dietitian team as well as a consultant-led multidisciplinary team that manages nutritional problems (including intravenous nutrition) for hospital inpatients.

• Having a capsule endoscopy
• Having a colonoscopy
• Having a Colonoscopy – Information for Individuals with Spinal Cord Injury (SCI)
• Having a flexible signmoidoscopy
• Having a gastroscopy
• Having a gastroscopy and dilatation
• Having a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) feeding tube
• Having a video capsule endoscopy
• Having an Endoscopic Ultrasound and Fine Needle Aspiration / Biopsy
• How to take Moviprep
• How to take Plenvu bowel preparation before a colonoscopy
• Investigation of your gut: an endoscopic retrograde cholangio pancreatogram (ERCP)
• Low fibre diet for a Flexible Sigmoidoscopy or Colonoscopy
• Patency capsule – patient instructions
• The nasal loop system
• Transnasal endoscopy (TNE)
• What to expect after a colonoscopy or flexible sigmoidoscopy
• What to expect after having Your Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio Pancreatogram (ERCP)
• What to expect after your gastroscopy
• What to expect after your oesophageal dilatation