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Advanced & Super Specialized in Gastroenterology Treatments

The state of the art Gastroenterology department at Chettinad Super Speciality deals with prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the digestive tract, liver and pancreatic-biliary system in children and adults. Our Gastroenterologists, with dedicated training in the management of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and liver are experts in performing endoscopies and minimally invasive procedures for diagnosing and treating GI diseases.

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Advanced & Super Specialized in Gastroenterology Treatments

Advanced & Specialised Surgeries

Gastroenterology Treatments

Endoscopic Band Ligation
Endoscopic Sclerotherapy
Endoscopic Esophageal Self Expanding Stent Placement
Colonoscopy
Pyloric Balloon Dilatation for Pyloric Stenosis
Argon Plasma Coagulation
Endoscopic Dilatation
Enteral SEMS placement
Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy
Endoscopic Foreign Body Removal
Hemoclip Application for Duodenal/ Gastric Ulcer Bleeding
Sigmoidoscopy
Endoscopic snare polypectomy
Colonic SEMS Placement
Common Bile Duct Stone Removal
Palliative Self Expanding Biliary Metallic Stenting
Pancreatic stenting /Stone Removal

Why Chettinad for your Gastroenterology treatments?

Senior Consultants

Senior Consultants

We have gastroenterologists have experience of more than 1500 endoscopic procedures per year since last 15 years. They do have vast experience in treating outpatient and critical Gastrointestinal diseases.
Modern Endoscopy Suite

Modern Endoscopy Suite

Chettinad hospital has state of an art endoscopy suite equipped latest instruments like the Olympus endoscopy EVIS – EXIRA 190 system, which helps for early detection of gastro–intestinal diseases, ERBE 300 D electrocautery and C arm, to name a few.
Experienced Paramedics/ Nursing Staffs

Experienced Paramedics/ Nursing Staffs

The department has an experienced and dedicated nursing team which prioritises patient care.
Dedicated Gastroenterology ICU Beds

Dedicated Gastroenterology ICU Beds

We provide special care to critical patients in a dedicated Gastroenterology ICU with a special team experienced in managing Gastroenterology emergencies.
Latest Endoscopy Systems

Latest Endoscopy Systems

Endoscopy procedures are being done using state of an art dual focus endoscopy systems with narrow-band imaging which provides crisp, clear images of the gastrointestinal system, and identifies early gastric and colonic cancers.
Gastrointestinal ICU

Gastrointestinal ICU

The salient feature of the intensive care unit is that it is fully equipped with all necessary lifesaving equipment like multipara monitors, ventilators, centralized oxygen and suction facilities, infusion pumps, syringe pumps, defibrillators etc. Medical emergencies such as acute pancreatitis, Acute chronic liver failure, and Upper GI Bleeds are treated.

Gastroenterology Treatments & Procedures

GERD

GERD stands for Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (abbreviated as GERD), which means that acid from the stomach flows back up into your esophagus. This can cause heartburn or chest pain, both of which may be felt on either side of the throat or chest area where there are no ribs around it! Symptoms of GERD if infrequent can be managed with lifestyle changes, such as avoiding smoking and alcohol, eating a healthy diet, and taking medications. For example, a low-fat diet can help you prevent fatty liver disease by reducing the amount of fat in your bloodstream; if severe, one may need to consult a gastroenterologist. Long standing GERD can cause asthma, and sometimes a condition called Barrett’s Esophagus, which is a pre-cancerous lesion of the lower esophagus. Hence one may need to consult a gastroenterologist if they experience frequent GERD symptoms Investigations for GERD include Upper GI endoscopy and ambulatory PH monitoring. Medications like Proton pump inhibitors and h2 blockers are available to reduce symptoms of GERD. One may resort to newer endoscopic procedure like anti- reflex mucosectomy and GERDx if a routine medication does not work.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a common gastro-intestinal disorder It results from the dysregulation of signals between brain and bowel. The most commonly encountered symptoms are abdominal pain often crampy, increased frequency of stools, especially immediately after meals, intolerance to certain foods, bloating, urgency, constipation, incomplete evacuation and sleep disturbances. IBS patients divided into subtypes based on the predominant symptom; diarrhoea (Diarrhoea predominant IBS), Constipation (constipation predominant IBS) and Alternating diarrhoea and constipation (Mixed IBS). Although the symptoms are troublesome, does not remain a threat even with long course of disease. The symptoms of concern that mandates health care visit are Nocturnal diarrhoea (diarrhoea at night), Per-rectal bleed, unintentional weight loss, pain not relived with defecation/passing gas and anaemia. IF you have IBS-like symptoms, your health care provider may perform tests like Hydrogen breath test, stool examination, CT abdomen, Upper GI Endoscopy and Colonoscopy in order to look/rule out other diseases that mimic IBS. Psychotherapy and reassurance plays the major role in treatment of IBS. Avoiding intolerant foods, high fibre diet, healthy life style, avoiding stress, fibre supplements, anti-spasmodic, anti-diarrheal agents and mood stabilizers all will be helpful in controlling Irritable bowel.

Anal Fissure

Anal fissure is a small cut which happens in the anal sphincter. Since the area is highly innervated, fissure causes significant pain and discomfort that affects the wellbeing and quality of life. Based on the duration of symptoms it is classified as acute (<6 weeks) and chronic (>6 weeks); amongst the acute fissure responds better to medical management, and implies the importance of visiting health care early. The common causes of anal fissure are passage of hard stools, Straining bowel movements and patients with other diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, HIV, Tuberculosis and Syphilis. Treatment is mainly supportive consisting of life style modifications like regular exercise, high fibre diet and adequate fluid intake and drugs like Topical anaesthetics, antibiotic and muscle relaxants preparations, which reduces spasm and promote healing. Fissures which fail to heal might require a simple surgical procedure called lateral anal sphincterectomy, which will be performed by a surgeon.

Viral Hepatitis

Viral hepatitis is an infection of the liver. The most common types are hepatitis A, hepatitis B, E and hepatitis C. There are two types of viral hepatitis, namely acute and chronic (long standing) hepatitis. Symptoms of hepatitis include jaundice, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and loss of appetite. Majority of acute viral hepatitis are self limiting illnesses, which can be treated with supportive care alone. On the other hand, chronic hepatitis B & C, can severely affects liver in long run and can cause liver cirrhosis and even liver cancers. Thanks to the highly potent antivirals, nowadays, these two can be treated easily if identified early. Vaccines are available for prevention of hepatitis A & E.

Obesity

Obesity is a complex disease that results in excess body fat It is not just a cosmetic concern, but root cause of several disabilities and diseases. Obesity leads to hypertension, diabetes, strokes, ischemic heart diseases, sleep apnoea, digestive disturbances such as GERD, Fatty liver, Gall stones and cancers involving uterus, ovary, breast, esophagus, colon, rectum, liver, pancreas and kidney. The doctor uses Body Mass Index (BMI) and waist circumference as the major indicators of obesity. You may be advised to undergo tests in order to find out secondary health issues and to evaluate the cause of obesity. The good news is, even a mild weight loss produce significant health benefits. Healthy eating habits and regular exercises are the cornerstone in any weight reduction programme. Pharmacological agents are considered when the above measures fail to achieve the desired weight loss/incapacitated/associated health problems. Bariatric endoscopy is a new emerging field which is directed towards treating obesity without surgery. Endoscopically placed intra gastric balloons, endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty and robotic ESGa are the procedures currently available and promising for those with BMI upto 35.

Fatty Liver

Fatty liver disease is accumulation of excess amount of fat within the liver. The most common cause of fatty liver is excessive alcohol intake, however it may also affect people who does not take significant amount of alcohol and named as Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD). The Risk factors of NAFLD includes sedentary life style, unhealthy eating habits with high sugar and fat diet, who have metabolic diseases like Diabetes mellitus, Hypertension, high cholesterol and obesity consumption of certain drugs like anabolic steroids. Fatty liver as such does not produce any symptoms, unless it progress to higher grades or advance to produce inflammation (steatohepatitis), and if left untreated it may lead to shrunken liver (cirrhosis). The diagnosis is established with Liver Function Test (LFT) and Ultrasound abdomen and targeted investigation of causes. Fibro scan, a newer modality shown almost equivalent to liver biopsy favours diagnosis and staging in case ultrasound fails Fatty liver can be reduced by weight reduction, avoiding alcohol and sedentary life style, intake of diet with rich amount of vegetables, fruits and fibres, and proper management of associated metabolic diseases. Your health care physician shall provide liver supportive medications and individualized treatment plan based on the clinical situation.

Modern Endoscopy Suite

Chettinad hospital has state of an art endoscopy suite equipped latest instruments like Olympus endoscopy EVIS – EXIRA 190 system, which helps for early detection of gastro–intestinal diseases, ERBE 300 D electrocautery and C arm, to name a few.

DOCTORS

Chettinad Super Speciality Consultants

Prof. Dr. T. Pugazhendhi

Gastroenterology

Prof. Dr. T. Pugazhendhi

MD (General Medicine)., DM (MGE).,

Expertise in

  • Gastrointestinal Bleeding
  • Gastrointestinal  / Hepatobiliary / Pancreatic Cancers
  • Chronic diarrhoea
  • Loss of Appetite / Weight Loss
  • Haemorrhoids
  • Gall Stone & Peptic Ulcer Disease
  • Heart urn / Indigestion
  • Difficulty in Swallowing
  • Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Dr. Anoop Shivaram Alva

Gastroenterology

Dr. Anoop Shivaram Alva

MBBS., MD., DM - Medical Gastroenterology.,

Expertise in

  • Upper GI Endoscopy
  • Interventional Endoscopy
  • Colonoscopy
  • GI Bleed Management
  • Esophageal / Enteral / Colonic SEMS Placement
  • ERCP

Frequently Asked Questions:

    Lactose intolerance is a common condition that affects up to 61% of the general population.

    Lactose is a sugar found in milk. Lactose is broken down into glucose and galactose by the enzyme lactase. If you don't have enough lactase in your body, then you can't break down the lactose into glucose and galactose.

    People with lactose intolerance may feel abdominal pain, nausea or cramps after eating foods containing lactose such as milk, ice cream, cheese and yoghurt. Some people have trouble digesting milk from cows; this is called cow's milk allergy (CMA).

    You can start by avoiding dairy products altogether—they contain more than just lactose but also other substances that could cause problems for people with lactose intolerance (like casein). If you're already eating dairy products on a regular basis (or think you might be), talk with your doctor about how much of each type of food is okay for you. Then try cutting back gradually until you find one that works for. Lactase enzymes are available as a tablet form and you can try that with doctor’s advice. Lactose-free milk is an alternative.

    During your first appointment, you will be asked about complaints, a detailed examination, and a discussion on symptoms, personal history, and dietary and exercise habits. From there, your gastroenterologist may recommend further testing or may be ready to discuss the therapeutic/diagnostic options based on your condition.

    The first thing you should know is that colon cancer is the third most common cancer in the world. Ninety percent of those diagnosed have no symptoms and are diagnosed at an advanced stage.

    But there are things you can do to reduce your risk of getting colon cancer. First, don't smoke! Second, don't drink alcohol excessively—alcohol can increase your chances of developing colon cancer by up to 20 times! Third—and this is really important—don't eat red meat frequently or in large amounts. Fourth exercise regularly, as obesity increases the risk of colon cancer.

    Meet your Gastroenterologist. He will schedule a colonoscopy for you, which is an excellent tool for screening colon cancers.

    The term Indigestion means bloating, belching, heartburn, burping, pain in upper abdomen related to food. Few patients also complaints of abdominal distension, nausea, diarrhoea and constipation. If the indigestion problem is reoccurring or present since long time (in weeks to months), or is associated with weight loss, weakness, lethargy, or difficulty in swallowing you are supposed to consult the gastroenterologist. The doctor will analyze your symptoms, may do few blood tests and explain in detail if u need an endoscopy.

    Colonic Polyps are abnormal growth which develops from the large intestine. They vary in size from a few millimetres to centimetres which look like small bumps and are sometimes flat. Your doctor will analyze them with a new-generation endoscope using narrow-band imaging (NBI). If the polyps are identified as pre-cancerous, it will be removed by a painless endoscopic procedure called a polypectomy. Removing pre-cancerous polyps is an important means of preventing colorectal cancer.

    Gall stones are common condition which affects millions of people around the world. Gall stones are formed when bile from the liver is not properly stored and concentrated in the gallbladder. Gall stones are hard, solid lumps that form in your gallbladder. They can range in size from small gall stone crystals to centimetre. Majority of the gall stones are asymptomatic.

    Gall stones can cause symptoms such as pain or discomfort in your abdomen, nausea, vomiting, and Jaundice (yellowing of skin). Asymptomatic gall stones can be followed up. If symptomatic, it will be treated by removal of gall bladder through laparoscopy.

    Sometimes gallstones might migrate down to cause obstruction of the bile duct, which may necessitates an endoscopic procedure called ERCP.