General Information

The Gastrointestinal Surgical Service has been active within the Department of Surgery and provides comprehensive care for patients that are suffering from surgical diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. This group works in close cooperation with members of the Cancer Center, the Digestive Health Center, the Women's Center as well as other Surgical Services including the Laparoscopy Center. Specifically, patients are seen and evaluated in clinic, receive either surgical or non-surgical evaluation and are evaluated postoperatively on an acute or chronic basis. Diagnostic and therapeutic services for patients with a wide spectrum of gastrointestinal disease including benign or malignant diagnosis are seen and evaluated by the Gastrointestinal Surgical Group.

Additionally, this service provides complete diagnostic and therapeutic use of laparoscopy for diverse problems such as gastrointestinal bleeding, polyps, and cancer. The Gastrointestinal Surgery Group also works closely with many members of the Colo-rectal Surgery Group.

We strive to provide a full range of educational opportunities for physicians, nurses and patients in the treatment of gastrointestinal disease and are active in the recruitment of patients for up-to-date clinical protocol for evaluation of therapeutic diagnostic modalities.

Esophageal Diseases

This area includes diagnosis of benign and malignant esophageal problems including reflux esophagitis, esophageal obstruction, hiatal hernia, and esophageal cancer. Available diagnostic and therapeutic modalities include laser therapy, laparoscopic surgery, endoscopy, and thoracic surgery, when necessary.

Hepatobiliary (Liver) Diseases

Benign and malignant disease of the liver and extrahepatic bilary tract are seen and evaluated by this group. Preoperative evaluation of patients with painless jaundice, pancreatitis, cholelithiasis, portal hypertension and hepatic masses and other benign and malignant disorders are seen and evaluated.

Gastroduodenal Diseases

Patients with reflux problems, gastric or duodenal ulcers, gastric and esophageal cancer are seen and evaluated. This group also has an expertise in obesity (bariatric) surgery.