Gastroenterology offers services which involve the pancreas and the bile ducts. Bile ducts are tubes which are both within the liver and also connecting the liver to the intestines.
Common pancreatic disorders seen in this area include acute and chronic pancreatitis as well as pancreatic cysts and tumors.
Diagnoses are often confirmed or made with endoscopic ultrasound (EUS). EUS involves performing an upper scope with a special ultrasound probe on the end. This allows the deep internal organs to be seen through the stomach wall. During EUS abnormal areas can be investigated with tissue or fluid sampling with Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA).
Treatment for many pancreaticobiliary disorders can also be performed with EUS (for cyst drainage) or Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) (for pancreatic stones and/or strictures). ERCP also involves an special upper scope in which a small catheter is tread up into th ebile duct drainage system. This is through a natural hole in the upper intestines, just past the stomach.
Biliary conditions often evaluated in our division are bile duct stones, postoperative bile duct leaks, and bile duct strictures, both benign and malignant. Once again diagnosis and treatment can take place with EUS and ERCP. Additional investigationi of the bild ducts can be performed with Spyglass which allows direct visualization of the bile duct with the assistance of ERCP. Spyglass is another special scope which is basically a smaller scope inside a standard sized scope. Such treatments performed indludes removal of stones and placement of either plastic or metal stents to relieve any blockage.