Gastroenterology is the branch of medicine focused on the digestive system and its disorders. The digestive system consists of the gastrointestinal tract, sometimes referred to as the GI tract, which includes the esophagus, stomach, small intestine and large intestine as well as the accessory organs of digestion which include the pancreas, gallbladder, and liver.
Heartburn, also known as pyrosis, cardialgia or acid indigestion, is a burning sensation in the central chest or upper central abdomen. Heartburn is usually due to regurgitation of gastric acid into the esophagus. It is the major symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
An endoscopy is a procedure used in medicine to look inside the body. The endoscopy procedure uses an endoscope to examine the interior of a hollow organ or cavity of the body. Unlike many other medical imaging techniques, endoscopes are inserted directly into the organ.
The American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) is a medical association of gastroenterologists. Approximately 16,000 scientists and physicians are members of the organization.
Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is a technique that combines the use of endoscopy and fluoroscopy to diagnose and treat certain problems of the biliary or pancreatic ductal systems. It is primarily performed by highly skilled and specialty trained gastroenterologists. Through the endoscope, the physician can see the inside of the stomach and duodenum, and inject a contrast medium into the ducts in the biliary tree and/or pancreas so they can be seen on radiographs.
Reza Malekzadeh is an Iranian medical scientist and gastroenterologist.
Thomas J. Borody is an Australian gastroenterologist.
Capsule endoscopy is a medical procedure used to record internal images of the gastrointestinal tract for use in disease diagnosis. Newer developments are also able to take biopsies and release medication at specific locations of the entire gastrointestinal tract. Unlike the more widely used endoscope, capsule endoscopy provides the ability to see the middle portion of the small intestine. It can be applied to the detection of various gastrointestinal cancers, digestive diseases, ulcers, unexplained bleedings, and general abdominal pains. After a patient swallows the capsule, it passes along the gastrointestinal tract, taking a number of images per second which are transmitted wirelessly to an array of receivers connected to a portable recording device carried by the patient. General advantages of capsule endoscopy over standard endoscopy include the minimally invasive procedure setup, ability to visualize more of the gastrointestinal tract, and lower cost of the procedure.
Markus Wolfgang Büchler is a German surgeon and university full professor. He specialises in gastrointestinal, hepatobiliary and transplant surgery, and is especially known for pioneering operations on the pancreas.
Hashem B. El-Serag is a Palestinian-American physician and medical researcher best known for his research in liver cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and the hepatitis C virus. He serves as the Margaret M. and Albert B. Alkek Chairman of the Department of Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine as well as the co-director of the Texas Medical Center Digestive Disease Center. El-Serag previously served as president of the American Gastroenterological Association and Editor-in-Chief of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
An endoscopy unit refers to a dedicated area where medical procedures are performed with endoscopes, which are cameras used to visualize structures within the body, such as the digestive tract and genitourinary system. Endoscopy units may be located within a hospital, incorporated within other medical care centres, or may be stand-alone in nature.
Blair S. Lewis, M.D., F.A.C.P., F.A.C.G., is an American board-certified gastroenterologist and Clinical Professor of Medicine at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Lewis is a specialist in the field of gastrointestinal endoscopy and was the primary investigator for the first clinical trial of capsule endoscopy for the small intestine and also the first clinical trial of capsule endoscopy for the colon.
David B. Adams is an American physician who is a Professor of Surgery, Chief, Division of Gastrointestinal and Laparoscopic Surgery and Co-Director of the Digestive Disease Center at the Medical University of South Carolina. Adams specializes in chronic pancreatitis surgeries. He has given numerous presentations regarding his clinical interests and will host the Chronic Pancreatitis Symposium in 2014 on Kiawah Island.
Amit Prabhakar Maydeo is an Indian gastroenterologist and endoscopy expert known for his pioneering efforts on therapeutic endoscopy and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). In 2013, he was honoured by the Government of India with the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award, for his contributions to the fields of medicine and medical education. His son, Dr. Rohan Maydeo, is a surgeon from MGM Medical College and Hospital, Aurangabad.
Todd Huntley Baron is an American gastroenterologist who is Professor of Medicine at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. Additionally, he currently serves as the Director of Advanced Therapeutic Endoscopy within UNC's Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology. He is known for his publishing in the field of gastroenterology particularly in endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) and other advanced endoscopic procedures. He has developed interventional endoscopic techniques for the care of patients with gastrointestinal, liver and other medical conditions. He was the first to describe endoscopic drainage of the gallbladder, placement of a colonic stent, and endoscopic pancreatic necrosectomy.
Joseph Barnett Kirsner was an American gastroenterologist and Louis Block Distinguished Service Professor of medicine at the University of Chicago. He was a pioneer in the field of digestive system disorders and was the first person to show the increased risk of colon cancer in patients with ulcerative colitis.
Prateek Sharma is an Indian American gastroenterologist that specializes in esophageal diseases and endoscopic treatments.
Kenneth Frank Binmoeller is a medical doctor and author of multiple scientific contributions and over 300 publications, as well as the inventor of the lumen-apposing metal stent (LAMS) and AXIOS System. These are medical devices used to relieve blockages while creating a direct connection between two bodily structures. He practices in the field of Gastroenterology with a specialty of Advanced Endoscopic Intervention. Binmoeller has been published for his innovations in medical devices and training in the field of Endoscopy.
Pankaj "Jay" Pasricha is a physician and researcher specializing in gastroenterology and neurogastroenterology. He currently serves as the chair of medicine at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona. Formerly, he served as the director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Neurogastroenterology and was the founder and co-director of the Amos Food, Body and Mind Center, Vice Chair of Medicine for Innovation and Commercialization in the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, and Professor of Innovation Management at the Carey Business School.
Haruhiro Inoue is a Japanese thoracic surgeon and endoscopist best known for the development of the cap endoscopic mucosal resection technique, and the first per-oral endoscopic myotomy performed in humans. He is a professor at Showa University and Director of the Digestive Disease Centre at Showa University Koto-Toyosu Hospital in Tokyo. He is known for his work in endoscopy and his contribution to the development of endoscopic technologies and procedures.
