Gastroenterology

Hepatogastroenterology is the speciality that treats diseases of the digestive system: the entire digestive tract from the oesophagus to the anus (stomach, small intestine, colon and rectum) and organs including the liver, gallbladder and pancreas. This speciality can be exercised in close collaboration with general, digestive and visceral surgery.

Exploring the various segments of the digestive tract, endoscopic examinations are practised for therapeutic and diagnostic purposes. Endoscopy is a generic term that covers specific examinations for each organ: colonoscopy is the exploration of the colon, gastroscopy of the oesophagus and stomach, enteroscopy of the small intestine, and so on.

This speciality covers diagnosis, treatment and prevention (colorectal cancer screening). It is covered by 32 gastroenterologists who provide the following main procedures:

•    Diagnostic and/or therapeutic gastroscopy.
•    Diagnostic and/or therapeutic colonoscopy.
•    Diagnostic or interventional ultrasound endoscopy.
•    Interventional endoscopy on the bile ducts.