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  Appendectomy 
  
• Cancers—Liver, colorectal, oral, esophageal 
  
• Cirrhosis
  
• Crohn’s Disease
  
• Diabetes
  
• Diverticulosis and Diverticulitis
  
• Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
  
• Hepatitis A, B and C
  
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome
  
• Liver Disease
  
• Ulcerative Colitis

Testing

Many GI diseases can be prevented or reduced by early diagnosis. Your physician may do some tests as you get older even if you have no symptoms.  This can range from a simple stool test in the doctor’s office to a colonoscopy to look for cancer or other abnormalities.  Deaconess offers our patients extensive testing options to help your doctor determine the best course of treatment, if necessary.

• Did you know? • Approximately 60 million Americans a month have heartburn, according to the National Institute of Health. Heartburn can also be one of the main symptoms of a serious condition called Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease or GERD • A simple, annual test can reduce deaths from colorectal cancer by 33%  Read more… • Herbal medicines can interact dangerously with your prescription medicines

  Upper Endoscopy uses a thin, flexible tube to look inside the esophagus, stomach and part of the small intestine.  Sedation is often used during this procedure.
• Colonoscopy uses a narrow, flexible instrument to look at the large intestine and part of the lower small intestine.  Sedation is often used during this procedure.
• ERCP (Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography) is similar to the upper endoscopy, but also uses dye to study the ducts of the gallbladder, pancreas and liver.  Sedation is also used during this procedure.
• Endoscopic Ultrasound uses sound waves to gather more information about an area of disease inside the GI tract.  This information is used to choose the best treatment plan.
• Our new BRAVO pH system collection 48 hours of data and records it on a pager-sized recorder.  The information is then downloaded and interpreted by the MD.  This replaces previous testing requiring a tube in the nose.
• Esophageal motility studies record the ability of the esophagus to function normally while swallowing.
• Many procedures use X rays and dye to look at internal organs.

• Control of risk factors such as smoking and high cholesterol
• Nutrition assessment and education
• Cholesterol measurements

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