Liver & Digestive Sciences

Overview

Gastroenterology has rapidly evolved into a highly advanced interventional superspecialty dealing with digestive science. It deals with diagnosis and treatment of diseases related to gut, liver, gall bladder, biliary ducts, pancreas and gastrointestinal malignancies. Diagnostic and therapeutic Endoscopy is integral to the specialty and has revolutionized management of gastrointestinal, liver and pancreatico-biliary disorders.

The Centre for Liver & Digestive Sciences at Sarvodaya is a Centre of Excellence that delivers comprehensive and state of the art gastroenterological services to its patients. The services provided includes Emergency, Out-patient, In-patient and Endoscopy. The department comprises of reputed and highly experienced Gastroenterologists, highly trained endoscopy technicians, nursing staff and coordinators who assist the patients at every stage. The Centre is equipped with three Endoscopy Theatres, Recovery Room with facility for intensive monitoring for patients who undergo endoscopic procedures under sedation and a large comfortable Waiting Room. Patient care with efficiency, safety and compassion is the mission statement of the Centre.

The Centre is recognized for superspecialty training in Gastroenterology (DNB Gastroenterology) and has a robust academic schedule. Each year two students are enrolled for this training. The Centre is also active in research and publications.

Services & TREATMENTS
Technology

EMERGENCY:

Gastrointestinal bleeding, Acute Liver Failure, Hepatic Encephalopathy, Acute Pancreatitis, Acute Cholangitis, Dysphagia, Removal of foreign bodies from esophagus or stomach.

OUT-PATIENT & IN-PATIENT:

Dyspepsia (acidity & gas), Gastroesophageal Reflux, Gastric & Duodenal Ulcers, Acute Hepatitis, Cirrhosis & Portal Hypertension, Liver Abscess, Gall stone disease, Obstructive Jaundice, Acute & Chronic Pancreatitis, Diarrhoea, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Abdominal Tuberculosis, Liver Cancer, GI Malignancies.

ENDOSCOPY:

Diagnostic upper GI endoscopy, colonoscopy and side-viewing endoscopy
Variceal ligations, Injection of glue / sclerosants in bleeding varices, haemoclip application
Stricture dilatations, Esophageal, Duodenal & Colonic stenting, Polypectomy.
ERCP (for bile duct stones, strictures, pancreatic stones & stricture)
EUS (Endoscopic Ultrasound) Diagnosis of pancreatic & biliary diseases, Fine needle aspiration/biopsy of nodes or masses, Drainage of pancreatic pseudocysts.
Capsule Endoscopy (Diagnosis of small bowel disease, Obscure GI bleed)

MISCELLANEOUS PROCEDURES

Fibroscan for liver fibrosis (Fatty Liver, Chronic Liver Disease)
Liver Biopsy
Hydrogen Breath Test (small bowel bacterial growth)

ENDOSCOPY

Endoscopy is a non-surgical procedure that is used to examine the digestive tract of a person. An endoscope is a flexible thin tube with a light and camera attached to it. The image is seen by the endoscopist on a colour monitor.

Gastroscope (upper GI endoscope) is inserted through the mouth to visualize the esophagus, stomach and duodenum.
Colonoscope is inserted through the rectum to visualize the large intestine (colon).
Enteroscope can be inserted through mouth or rectum to visualize the small intestine.
Side-Viewing scope is inserted through the mouth to visualize the ampulla in duodenum.

ERCP (Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography)

A highly technical and delicate procedure done for pancreatico-biliary work.
The side-viewing scope is introduced through the mouth and the ampulla is visualized. The bile duct and the pancreatic duct are entered with endoscopic accessories. Stones in the ducts are removed, strictures in the ducts are dilated, stents are placed in the biliary and pancreatic duct.

EUS (Endoscopic Ultrasound)

Endoscopic ultrasound or EUS combines upper endoscopy and ultrasound examination to obtain images and information about various parts of the digestive tract. Especially useful for diagnosis of liver, pancreatic and biliary disorders. EUS is also used to take guided biopsies, drainage of pancreatic pseudocysts/necrotic collections, cannulation of bile ducts and staging of malignancies.

CAPSULE ENDOSCOPY

A capsule containing a light, camera, transmitter and a battery is swallowed. The capsule travels the entire length of the digestive tract and takes thousands of pictures. The pictures are collated by a computer software and studied for disease conditions in the gut. Capsule endoscopy is particularly useful for evaluation of small bowel and obscure GI bleed.

FIBROSCAN

This is a specialized ultrasound machine that measures fibrosis and steatosis in the liver. It determines the quantity of fat in the liver and severity of liver injury (fibrosis). A must test for evaluation of fatty liver disease and many chronic liver diseases.