As a specialized gastroenterologist, I am well versed with various diagnostic and therapeutic procedures including Endoscopy,
Colonoscopy, Endoscopic Ultrasonography, Enteroscopy, ERCP, HVPG, Liver Biopsy, Capsule Endoscopy and Fibroscan. I can help you with the following gastro conditions or diseases.

1. Pancreatic and Gall Bladder Diseases like Acute pancreatitis, Chronic pancreatitis, Pancreatic tumors, Pancreatic pseudocyst, Gall bladder stone, Gall bladder cancer, Common bile duct stone, Cholangiocarcinoma
2. Liver and GI conditions like Jaundice, Abdomen pain, Gastrointestinal bleeding, Dysphagia, Diarrhoea & constipation, Dyspepsia, Intestinal Gas
3. Intestinal Diseases like Inflammatory bowel Disease, Celiac disease, Colonic Polyps and cancer, Irritable bowel syndrome
4. Liver Diseases like Cirrhosis, Chronic Hepatitis B, Chronic Hepatitis C, Non alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), Alcoholic liver disease, Ascites, Liver tumors
5. Stomach and Esophagus Diseases like Gastric cancer, Peptic ulcer disease, H pylori infection, GIST and lymphoma, Gastroesophageal reflux, Achalasia, Esophageal stricture & web, Esophageal cancer

• A gastroenterologist is a specialist doctor who diagnoses and treats diseases of the gastrointestinal system.
• Gastrointestinal system is also known as the digestive system in common terms. It consists of the esophagus (food pipe), stomach, small intestine, large intestine, liver, gall bladder, pancreas and spleen. So, if you suffer from diseases related to any of these organs, you should see a gastroenterologist.

• In the most common scenario, whenever someone mentions of a “gastrologist”, he often means a “gastroenterologist”.
• Gastroenterologist (gastro = stomach, entero = intestine) refers to a medical specialist who diagnoses and treats various diseases of the digestive system which includes esophagus (food pipe), stomach, small intestine, large intestine, liver, gall bladder, pancreas and spleen.
• In America, a “gastrologist” may refer to a specialist exclusively dealing with diseases of the stomach only. 

A gastroenterologist is trained and qualified to do a large number of tests for diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the digestive system which include

• Endoscopy
• Colonoscopy
• Sigmoidoscopy
• ERCP (Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography)
• EUS (Endoscopic ultrasound)
• Enteroscopy
• Capsule endoscopy
• Fibroscan
• Manometry
• Breath tests
• Liver biopsy

You need to consult a gastroenterologist when you suffer from any disease of the digestive system. Most common symptoms related to digestive system are

• • Abdominal pain (stomach pain)
  • Loose stools
  • Blood in stools
  • Constipation (hard stools)
  • Vomiting
  • Acidity
  • Gas and bloating (fullness of abdomen)
  • Jaundice
  • Decreased appetite
  • Difficulty or pain while swallowing
  • Blood in vomiting

Gastroenterology procedures have vastly evolved over last few years and today a large number of diagnostic and therapeutic (treatment related) can be done by a gastroenterologist which was previously impossible. Almost all procedures are very safe and are done in awake patient or with minimal sedation (sleep medicine)

• Endoscopy
  • It is a test which enables the gastroenterologist to see the inner aspect (lumen) of your food pipe (esophagus), stomach and some part of small intestine (duodenum)
  • It involves inserting a flexible tube (endoscope) which has a camera through your mouth to see the intended area.

• Colonoscopy
  • It is a test which enables the gastroenterologist to see the inner aspect (lumen) of your large intestine (colon)
  • It involves inserting a flexible tube (colonoscope) which has a camera through your anus to see the intended area.

• Sigmoidoscopy
  • It is a test which enables the gastroenterologist to see the inner aspect (lumen) of your rectum and sigmoid colon (last parts of large intestine)
  • It involves inserting a flexible tube (colonoscope) which has a camera through your anus to see the intended area.

• ERCP (Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography)
  • It is an endoscopic procedure done for treatment of stones in the bile duct (tube draining the liver and gall bladder into the small intestine) and in the pancreatic duct.
  • It involves inserting a flexible tube which has a camera and operating channel through the mouth till the duodenum (first part of small intestine)

• EUS (Endoscopic ultrasound)
  • It is an endoscopic procedure for diagnosis and treatment of various diseases of the gall bladder, bile duct, pancreas, spleen, stomach and some lymph nodes in chest and abdomen.
  • It involves inserting a flexible tube which has an ultrasound probe attached to its tip through the mouth till stomach and duodenum (first part of small intestine)
  • A conventional ultrasound is done by placing an ultrasound probe over the abdomen while in EUS, the probe visualizes the structures from within the stomach and intestinal lumen. The advantage is it gives clearer images due to close proximity to organ of interest.

• Enteroscopy
  • It is a test which enables the gastroenterologist to see the inner aspect (lumen) of your small intestine (the small intestine is 6 metres long)
  • It involves inserting a flexible tube (colonoscope) which has a camera through your mouth to see the intended area.

• Capsule endoscopy
  • It is a test which enables the gastroenterologist to see the inner aspect (lumen) of your small intestine (the small intestine is 6 metres long)
  • It involves swallowing a capsule which is fitted with specialized camera. The capsule endoscope thus clicks thousands of images as it traverses the intestinal lumen.

• Fibroscan
  • It is kind of specialized ultrasound which gives information regarding the stiffness of liver. (The liver is normally soft and becomes stiffer in certain diseases like cirrhosis)

• Manometry
  • It is a specialized test which gives information regarding the motility (pressures and peristaltic movements) of the esophagus (food pipe) and rectum.
  • It is especially useful in diagnosis of various swallowing disorders and chronic constipation.

• Breath tests
  • It is test which is useful for diagnosis of certain intestinal conditions like bacterial overgrowth and malabsorption.
  • It is based on the principle of detecting certain gases in exhaled air released in abnormal amounts when some diseases affect the intestine.

• Liver biopsy
  • It is test which involves taking a small thin piece (1-2 cm long and 0.5 mm thin) strip of liver for examination under a microscope.
  • It is done for diagnosis of some liver diseases when diagnosis cannot be confirmed by other tests.

A gastroenterologist treats various parts of the digestive system. This includes the esophagus (food pipe), stomach, small intestine, large intestine, liver, gall bladder, pancreas and spleen.