UnityPoint Health - St. Luke's Gastroenterology

A colonoscopy is a procedure done to examine a person’s colon (large intestine) for cancer. It may be performed as a result of symptoms, or as a preventive screening colonoscopy to check for polyps (small clumps of cells that form on the lining of the colon). Polyps have the ability to develop into colon cancer if they continue to grow.

• Learn what happens during a colonoscopy
• Find out how to prepare for a colonoscopy

Individuals should have a screening colonoscopy starting at age 45 and at least every 10 years (if no polyps are found) until age 75. Talk to your primary care provider to schedule a screening colonoscopy.

During an upper endoscopy, the doctor checks the lining of your upper gastrointestinal tract, including the esophagus, stomach and first part of the small intestine. This procedure may be done for patients who have symptoms of persistent abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, difficulty swallowing or to find the cause of bleeding. It’s also more accurate than X-rays for detecting inflammation, ulcers and tumors.

An ERCP is a special technique used to study the ducts (draining routes) of the gallbladder, pancreas and liver. It is performed by passing an endoscope through the mouth, esophagus and upper part of the small intestine, then injecting dye into the ducts and taking X-rays.

A sigmoidoscopy is a procedure that allows your doctor to examine the lining of the rectum and a portion of the colon (large intestine). It is performed by inserting a flexible tube into the anus.

Your doctor may have you perform a breath test to help diagnose digestive issues. A breath test helps determine your digestion by measuring what gasses are present when you exhale.

 

A capsule endoscopy lets your doctor examine the lining of the middle part of your gastrointestinal tract, which includes the three portions of the small intestine (duodenum, jejunum, ileum). Your doctor uses a pill-size video capsule called an endoscope, which has its own lens and light source and will view the images on a video monitor. You might hear your doctor or other medical staff refer to capsule endoscopy as small bowel endoscopy, capsule enteroscopy, or wireless endoscopy. The most common reason for doing a capsule endoscopy is to search for a cause of bleeding from the small intestine. It can also detect polyps, inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease), ulcers and tumors of the small intestine.

An esophageal pH test measures how often stomach acid flows into the lower esophagus and its degree of acidity. The test involves inserting a small thin tube and probe through the nose to the bottom of the esophagus. During a 12- to 24-hour period, the patient presses a button when experiencing reflux or other symptoms, and those results are recorded and analyzed to determine treatment.

Measuring esophageal pH helps the gastroenterologist treat symptoms such as heartburn, difficulty swallowing food or liquid, and chest pain. Additionally, the study helps determine the success of treatment for acid reflux, so this exam is often done before and after medical surgical treatment of acid reflux into the esophagus.

An esophageal manometry measures the pressures and pattern of muscle contractions in your esophagus. Abnormalities in the contractions and strength of the muscle at the lower end of the esophagus (sphincter) can result in pain, heartburn and/or difficulty swallowing. Esophageal manometry is used to diagnose the conditions that cause these symptoms.

• Anal Fissure
• Barrett’s Esophagus
• Celiac Disease
• Cirrhosis
• Colitis, Microscopic
• Colitis, Ulcerative
• Colon Cancer
• Colon Polyps
• Constipation
• Crohn’s Disease
• Diarrhea
• Diverticular Disease
• Eosinophilic Esophagitis
• Fecal Incontinence
• Gallstones
• Gas & Bloating
• Gastritis
• Gastroparesis
• GERD (Acid Reflux, Heartburn)
• Helicobacter Pylori Infection
• Hemochromatosis
• Hemorrhoids
• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis, Autoimmune
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• NAFLD, NASH
• Pancreatitis Acute, Chronic
• Peptic Ulcer Disease
• Primary Biliary Cirrhosis (PBC)
• Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC)

Talk to your primary care provider for a referral to St. Luke’s Gastroenterology if you require treatment for any of these conditions or are experiencing symptoms of a gastrointestinal problem such as recurring stomach ache, heartburn or digestion issues.