Endoscopy Center
Our Endoscopy Center is a comprehensive tertiary referral center that can accommodate referrals for commonly requested endoscopic procedures as well as the more advanced techniques focusing on the pancreas, biliary tree and gastrointestinal tract.
Our Endoscopy Center also accommodates requests for routine endoscopic evaluations (such as screening colonoscopy) that may not require a clinic visit (Open Endoscopy). To refer or inquire about referring for an open endoscopy please call 504.988.2087.
Many referrals to the Endoscopy Center are for complex pancreas or bile duct abnormalities. Patients with a variety of symptoms related to the biliary tract and pancreas are evaluated. Patients’ symptoms may include pancreatitis, biliary strictures, stones, cholecystectomy complications, unexplained abdominal pain and suspected gastrointestinal malignancies. The majority of referred patients require advanced endoscopic procedures such as ERCP (endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, and EUS (endoscopic ultrasound). Many patients are sent to us for special procedures that either are not done elsewhere or may have been unsuccessful. To refer or inquire about referring for a consultation that may involve a pancreas or bile duct abnormality please call 504.988.5110.
The Endoscopy Center has extensive experience in complex ERCP procedures. Therapeutic ERCP procedures include endoscopic sphincterotomy of pancreatic and bile ducts, biliary and pancreatic stent insertion and duct drainage, stricture dilatation, and complex stone extractions. Other specialized procedures include the Spyglass choledochoscopy to look directly into the bile duct and biopsy if needed to make a diagnosis of indeterminate strictures.
Our center also has great expertise in EUS and fine- needle aspiration of masses, cysts, and lymph nodes located within and adjacent to the digestive tract. This sophisticated technique is utilized for staging of malignancies of the esophagus, biliary tract, pancreas, and rectum. Our physicians can obtain aspirate samples from pancreatic masses or cysts, lymph nodes, and gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST). The Endoscopy Center also performs, in certain circumstances, pancreatic pseudocyst drainage with EUS guidance. The Endoscopy Center utilizes a team approach in which pathologists, cytologists, oncologists, radiologists and surgeons collaborate in the care and treatment of patients.
Services & treatments
Services and treatments include, but are not limited to, the following:
Routine endoscopic services & treatments
- Colonoscopy
- NJ tube placement under fluoro
- PEJ tube placement
- Sigmoidoscopy
- Barrett’s Esophagus Ablation
- EGD with BRAVO ph placement
- PEG tube placement
- Rectal suction biopsy
- Small bowel enteroscopy (Push enteroscopy)
Advanced endoscopic services & treatments
- Bile Duct Stenting (plastic and metallic)
- EMR (Endoscopic Mucosal Resection) of cancers Gastroscopy (EGD)
- ERCP
- EUS - diagnostic and therapeutic
- Pancreatic Stenting
- Staging Malignancies of Pancreas, Bile Duct, Esophagus and Rectum
- Stenting Esophagus, Duodenum and Colon for Inoperable Malignancies