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What is gastroenterology?

Gastroenterology is a territory of medication that centers around the wellbeing of the stomach-related framework or the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Gastroenterologists can treat everything from fractious inside disorder (IBS) to hepatitis C.

What do Gastroenterologists do?

A Gastroenterologist is a specialist who is first broadly trained in Internal Medicine and subsequently in diagnosing and treating the disease of the digestive system. Frequently, a Gastroenterologist is called in cases of abdominal pain, rectal bleeding, or change in bowel habits when the diagnosis is unclear or where specialized diagnostic procedures are necessary. A gastroenterologist is a medical professional who specializes in diseases and conditions that affect the digestive organs and structures.

It includes the following:

esophagus, or food pipe

stomach

small intestine

colon

rectum

pancreas

gallbladder

bile ducts

liver

Why would a person get a referral to a gastroenterologist?

In some cases, doctors need to refer people to medical professionals with specialist knowledge. A doctor may refer an individual to a gastroenterologist if they suspect that a problem with the digestive system is causing the person’s symptoms. The symptoms of such issues can vary, but they may include:

Difficulty swallowing

Stomach pain

Nausea and vomiting

Heartburn

Diarrhea

Constipation

jaundice

The Gastroenterologist will use their specialist knowledge to assess the person and recommend treatment and management if necessary.

What conditions do gastroenterologists treat?

Gastroenterologists play a role in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of people with conditions such as:

colon polyps

colon cancer

celiac disease

hepatitis

heartburn, or gastroesophageal reflux (GERD)

gallbladder disease

irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

pancreatitis

What procedures do they perform?

Gastroenterologists carry out several procedures to diagnose, treat, and manage conditions. These procedures include:

Endoscopy

During an endoscopy, a gastroenterologist uses a camera that attaches to a long, thin tube called an endoscope to look inside the body.
They insert the endoscope through the mouth, down the throat, and into the esophagus. It sends images back to a screen for monitoring.

A gastroenterologist might perform an endoscopy to investigate symptoms such as:

persistent heartburn

nausea and vomiting

bleeding

problems with swallowing

stomach pain

unexplained weight loss

Colonoscopy and sigmoidoscopy

These procedures are similar to an endoscopy, but they require the gastroenterologist to insert the tube into the rectum, rather than the mouth.
A gastroenterologist can see the entire colon and rectum during a colonoscopy. A sigmoidoscopy only allows them to examine the rectum and lower colon.
During these procedures, gastroenterologists might be looking for:

early signs of colon or rectum cancer

causes of bowel habit changes

causes of specific symptoms, such as abdominal pain, rectal bleeding, or unexplained weight loss

Polypectomy

During a polypectomy, a gastroenterologist will remove one or more polyps from the lining of the bowel. Polyps are noncancerous growths that can develop on the colon. They are very common, affecting 30%Trusted Source of those over the age of 50 years in the United States. The gastroenterologist will either remove the polyps with wire loop forceps or use an electric current to burn them off during a colonoscopy.

Esophageal dilation

During esophageal dilation, a gastroenterologist will stretch out a narrowed area of the esophagus. Acid reflux can scar this muscular tube, narrowing it and making it hard for a person to swallow food. Layers of excess tissue, cancer of the esophagus, and scarring from radiation treatment can all lead to the same problem. The gastroenterologist stretches the tube by using a plastic dilator or inflating a balloon. They will usually carry this out during an endoscopy. The gastroenterologist may sedate the person for the procedure. Alternatively, they may apply a local anesthetic spray to the back of the person’s throat.

Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery

Advanced laparoscopic surgical procedure is done by making an incision in the abdominal area. The incision is made several inches in length, but in most cases, it is around ½ inches in length. In medical terms, it is also referred to as minimally invasive surgery.

How advanced laparoscopic surgery is done?

During the surgery, the surgeon uses laparoscopy to diagnose/treat the problem. Laparoscopy is a thin and long tube that is put into the abdomen after the incision is made. This device has a camera attached to it which allows the surgeon to see inside of the abdomen with ease. Through this device, the pelvic organ and abdomen are seen easily.

Hernia

A hernia occurs when an organ or fatty tissue squeezes through a weak spot in a surrounding muscle or connective tissue called fascia. The most common types of hernia are inguinal (inner groin), incisional (resulting from an incision), femoral (outer groin), umbilical (belly button), and hiatal (upper stomach).

Piles

Piles is another term for hemorrhoids. Hemorrhoids are collections of inflamed tissue in the anal canal. They contain blood vessels, support tissue, muscle, and elastic fibers.

Gallstones

Gallstones are pieces of solid material that form in your gallbladder, a small organ under your liver.

Your gallbladder stores and releases bile, a fluid made in your liver, to help in digestion. Bile also carries wastes like cholesterol and bilirubin, which your body makes when it breaks down red blood cells. These things can form gallstones.

Gallstones can range from the size of a grain of sand to that of a golf ball. You might not know that you have them until they block a bile duct, causing pain that needs treatment right away.

Fistula

An anal fistula is a small tunnel that forms between the anal canal and the skin of the anus. They usually develop where an anal abscess doesn’t heal properly after the fluid from the abscess creates a tunnel to drain away, and the remains open. Anal fistulas won’t usually get better on their own and in most cases surgery is recommended.

Appendicitis

Appendicitis is an inflammation of the appendix, a finger-shaped pouch that projects from your colon on the lower right side of your abdomen.

Appendicitis causes pain in your lower right abdomen. However, in most people, pain begins around the navel and then moves. As inflammation worsens, appendicitis pain typically increases and eventually becomes severe.

Although anyone can develop appendicitis, most often it occurs in people between the ages of 10 and 30. Standard treatment is surgical removal of the appendix.