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Gastrointestinal Health

Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare offers the most advanced endoscopic procedures in North Florida and South Georgia. Whether it’s removing precancerous tumors in the digestive tract or placing stents that allow patients to eat again, our expert endoscopic surgeons offer a variety of gastrointestinal treatments. 

Our Services

Colonoscopy

A colonoscopy is a test a physician conducts to look at the interior lining of the large intestine using a thin, flexible viewing instrument called a colonoscope. It can be used as a screening test to identify and remove pre-cancerous and cancerous or abnormal growths in the colon or rectum. It also can help detect ulcers, polyps, tumors and areas of inflammation or bleeding, and be used to collect tissue samples.

Endoscopic Ultrasound

An endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) is a nonsurgical medical evaluation that has proven effective for assessing gastrointestinal disorders using the high-frequency sound-wave technology known as ultrasound. This state-of-the-art combination allows the doctor to examine tissue not only within the digestive tract, but also surrounding it. Like an endoscopy, an EUS uses a flexible tube called an endoscope, which works like a periscope. The doctor inserts this tube into the digestive tract through the mouth or the rectum to examine internal organs and photograph and videotape the findings. EUS is as comfortable as a regular endoscopy, although it takes longer because it is more precise, and because there are more details for the doctor to examine and interpret.

Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)

ERCP is a procedure that combines the use of a flexible, lighted scope (endoscope) with X-ray pictures to view the system of tubes that drains the liver, gallbladder and pancreas. ERCP is done to evaluate problems in the liver, the gallbladder, the tubes that carry bile from the liver to the intestine (bile ducts), and the tubes that carry pancreatic juices from the pancreas (pancreatic ducts). Some problems identified with ERCP may be treated during the procedure.

pH Acid Monitoring System

The Bravo™ pH Monitoring System from Medtronic is the first catheter-free method of measuring esophageal pH (acidity) levels in patients who have or are suspected of having gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). This means there are no tubes or wires for the patient to deal with. With the Bravo system, patients can maintain their usual diet and activities while having their pH levels tested.

pH testing is the gold standard for diagnosing GERD, and the first step in determining appropriate medical or surgical treatment. The Bravo system involves a miniature pH capsule about the size of a gelcap that is attached to the esophagus and transmits pH information to a pager-sized receiver worn by the patient.

The Bravo system is an alternative to the traditional pH testing method, which involves placing a catheter through the nose and down the esophagus. The transnasal catheter is uncomfortable and conspicuous, leading most patients to modify their daily activities and/or diet, or in some cases, to avoid the test altogether.

The catheter-free Bravo system provides data more representative of the patient’s day-to-day activities than traditional pH monitoring methods because patients are able to maintain a normal diet and activity level during testing.

SpyGlass Direct Visualization System

At Tallahassee Memorial, the SpyGlass Direct Visualization Cholangioscopy System gives physicians a more accurate view to evaluate and diagnose gallstones, suspected malignancies, bile duct strictures and cystic lesions.

The SpyGlass System includes a 6,000-pixel fiber optic camera with a light probe, dedicated irrigation channels and miniature forceps to take tissue samples. The physician can steer the camera in four directions, allowing them to pinpoint the exact spot they want to examine while seeing clear, color images in real time. Physicians can see the exact spot being biopsied, which is not possible with other diagnostic procedures.

Benefits of the SpyGlass include quicker and more precise diagnoses, better visualization and mobility for the physician to perform immediate biopsies in full view, fewer repeat procedures and reduced exposure to X-ray for patients. The addition of this advanced technology gives the physicians at TMH the ability to give patients a diagnosis with greater accuracy and speed, therefore allowing these patients earlier access to life-saving and/or life-prolonging treatments.

Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection (ESD) of Early Gastric Cancer 

Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare’s newest treatment for removing early stage gastric cancers is Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection, or ESD. Using a unique three-step technique, highly trained gastrointestinal surgeons are able to eliminate cancerous tumors or lesions without a surgical incision. ESD has become an important, safe alternative to surgery for removing early cancer in the digestive tract. 

Endoscopic Mucosal Resection (EMR)

An Endoscopic Mucosal Resection, or EMR, is a minimally invasive procedure to remove cancerous or precancerous tissue from the digestive tract. Using a thin tube called an endoscope, Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare’s surgeons can inspect abnormal tissue in the digestive tract and use instruments to remove it if necessary. 

Esophageal Stent Placement

Patients having difficulty swallowing because of esophageal cancer, or another health problem causing blocking in the esophagus, may benefit from the placement of an esophageal stent. During the procedure, physicians place a hollow tube, called a stent, in the esophagus to open the passageway and enable swallowing. For patients dealing with a narrowed or blocked esophagus, the placement of an esophageal stent has the potential to increase independence and quality of life.

Pancreatic Pseudocyst Drainage

A pancreatic pseudocyst is a fluid-filled sac that forms in the abdomen that can cause nausea, abdominal pain or fever. Using a collaborative approach, doctors at Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare can drain the cyst to therapeutically alleviate symptoms experienced by the patient. 

Celiac Plexus Neurolysis / Celiac Plexus Block

Patients suffering from abdominal pain caused by cancer or chronic pancreatitis may benefit from Celiac Plexus Block treatment at Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare. The celiac plexus is a group of nerves that supply organs in the abdomen. During a procedure that takes only 30 minutes, Physicians inject the celiac plexus with numbing medication to relieve pain and increase the quality of day-to-day living.