Meriter's Digestive Health Center provides a variety of services to patients requiring diagnosis and treatment of digestive disorders. Most of the procedures below are performed using an endoscope which is a small, flexible, fiber-optic instrument that has a light and a camera on the tip. This enables the physician to view the GI tract and diagnose and treat conditions that are often found within the organs of the digestive system.

Anorectal Manometry

Anorectal manometry is a test used to measure the pressures of the anal sphincter muscles, the sensation in the rectum and the neural reflexes that are needed for normal bowel movements. Anorectal manometry is used to diagnose:
• Cause of chronic constipation or fecal incontinence (inability to control evacuation of the bowel)
• Cause of fecal incontinence when it is suspected that surgery or disease has injured the nerves or muscles in the anus, or when diabetes may have resulted in impaired sensation in the rectum.
• Hirschsprung's disease in children (an inborn absence of nerves in the wall of the colon)

Colonoscopy

A colonoscopy is a direct visualization of the lower GI tract through a colonoscope. Through this scope the physician is able to diagnose and treat conditions within the colon. A colonoscopy is used to detect conditions such as Crohn’s disease (inflammatory bowel disease) and ulcerative colitis, diverticular disease, hemorrhoids, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), bleeding source, etc.

The procedure is also performed to detect colorectal cancer at its earliest stage (which is called a polyp). By removing the polyp, colon cancer may be prevented. A colonoscopy is a relatively short procedure, lasting approximately 30 minutes.

In addition to colonoscopies, we offer CT Colonography (also known as a Virtual Colonoscopy) within our Medical Imaging Department.

Watch and learn more about what to expect when having a colonoscopy.

Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)

Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is a procedure that combines the use of endoscopy and fluoroscopy to diagnose and treat conditions of the bile ducts, including gallstones, inflammatory strictures (scars), leaks (from trauma and surgery) and cancer.

Esophageal Manometry

Esophageal manometry provides diagnostic information about the motility of the esophagus and is useful in the evaluation of swallowing disorders, GERD and non-cardiac chest pain. The procedure usually takes 1-2 hours.

24-Hour Esophageal pH Monitoring

24-hour esophageal pH monitoring is used to diagnose problems associated with the esophagus, including heartburn/GERD and non-cardiac chest pain.

Fecal Bacteriotherapy (Fecal Transplant)

Fecal bacteriotherapy offers advanced treatment for those with chronic, recurrent Clostridium Difficile (C. Diff) infection and who have failed multiple attempts at conventional antibiotic treatment. The therapy involves placing fecal matter from a donor, living outside of the patient's home, inside the intestine of the patient via enema. The transplant offers a means to restore the normal microbiota in the intestines providing a cure to C. Diff within hours or a few days.

Flexible Sigmoidoscopy

A flexible sigmoidoscopy is an exam used to evaluate the inside of the rectum and lower part of the colon, called the sigmoid colon. During a sigmoidoscopy only the last one to two feet of the five to six-foot-long colon (large intestine) is examined. Flexible sigmoidoscopies are commonly used to evaluate gastrointestinal symptoms, such as abdominal pain, rectal bleeding or changes in bowel habits. They are also performed to screen people over age 50 for colorectal cancer.

Probiotics for the Treatment of Adult Gastrointestinal Disorders

Probiotics are currently defined by the World Health Organization as "live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer health benefits on the host." There are trillions of bacteria which live in our digestive tracts. Most of these are healthy bacteria while others have the potential to cause damage to our intestinal systems. The good bacteria keep the bad bacteria in check by limiting the unhealthy bacteria's ability to increase in numbers. At times, an imbalance between the good and bad bacteria can lead to uncomfortable symptoms or illnesses, and simply put, probiotics are bacteria or yeast which may alleviate these common medical symptoms and illnesses. Read on...

Small Bowel Capsule Endoscopy

A capsule endoscopy is a procedure that involves swallowing a video capsule, the size of a large vitamin, containing a miniature camera, light source and battery. The capsule will pass naturally through your digestive system while taking 75,000 to 80,000 pictures of your small intestine. The capsule transmits the pictures to a small recording device worn around your waist. From this data, a video is created that your doctor will review. This procedure is used to find bleeding in portions of the small intestine that are hard to reach with a conventional endoscope. It can also be used to help identify suspected Crohn’s disease or other small bowel abnormalities.

Small Bowel Enteroscopy

Small bowel enteroscopy is a test using an enteroscope to evaluate gastrointestinal bleeding, small bowel tumors, polyps, or other small bowel diseases. The procedure may also be used to treat various conditions of the upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract, such as abnormal growths or bleeding.

Upper Endoscopy

An upper endoscopy, also called a gastroscopy, is a procedure that provides direct visualization of the upper GI tract through a gastroscope. This scope allows the physician to visualize the esophagus, stomach and duodenum (upper portion of the small bowel). This procedure is performed to detect conditions such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)/heartburn, Barrett’s esophagus, hiatal hernia, peptic ulcers, gastritis/duodenitis, celiac disease, etc. The entire procedure is usually less than 10 minutes.