Gastroenterology
Bupa Cromwell Hospital treats a wide range of
gastrointestinal conditions ranging from those of the stomach
(heartburn and ulcer-like pain), to those of the small and large
intestine (irritable bowel syndrome, gluten allergy, colitis and
Crohn's disease) and the liver (hepatitis, cirrhosis) or pancreas
(pancreatitis). The prevention and diagnosis of cancer of all of
these organs is also an important part of this specialty.
Investigating a bowel problem can involve many types of test
including blood samples, specialized X-Ray (multi-slice CT, MRI,
ultrasound), nuclear medicine studies (PET scan) and endoscopic
examination. Endoscopic tests include gastroscopy (upper
bowel), colonoscopy (lower bowel), enteroscopy (small bowel), ERCP
(liver and pancreas) and endoscopic ultrasound.
There can be an overlap between Gastroenterlogy and other
specialties such as GI (Gastro-intestinal) Surgery or HPB
(Hepato-pancreato-biliary) Surgery, Oncology, and renal medicine. This is because a disease may
involve many organs or a gastrointestinal complication might arise
in another condition. For this reason, the mutli-disciplinary
approach used in Bupa Cromwell Hospital and the capability of
drawing on experts from many of the leading London teaching
hospitals, can be so important.
The Hospital also carries out HPB surgery for diseases affecting the liver, pancreas and bile ducts. The
Hospital treats patients with all forms of kidney disease, with or
without impairment of kidney function. In addition, care is
provided for renal transplant recipients, in both the acute
post-operative period and in long-term follow-up.
Paediatric Renal Medicine embraces the diagnosis
and management of congenital and acquired renal disease in infants
and children of all ages. The Hospital is also one of the few
private facilities able to offer Cryotherapy for renal cancer.
Bupa Health Information
How
a gastroscopy is carried out (external factsheet)