BEST PROVIDERS OF SPECIALIST CARE
GASTROENTEROLOGY SERVICE PROVIDER OF THE YEAR IN THE ASIA-PACIFIC
MOUNT ELIZABETH HOSPITAL
Mount Elizabeth Hospital ( MEH ) follows an integrated model of care that combines gastroenterology ( conditions of the stomach and intestines ) subspecialities with nutrition in order to improve treatment outcomes and optimise the patient experience .
“ Our strong brand presence in Asia , good clinical outcomes , and service excellence have resulted in continued trust and support from patients over the last 39 years ,” Dr Noel Yeo , Senior Vice-President , Parkway Hospitals Singapore told Global Health Asia- Pacific .
The gastroenterology department at MEH is staffed with more than 20 skilled specialists who subspecialise in several areas , such as the treatment of liver conditions , advanced endoscopic procedures , inflammatory bowel diseases and gut motility issues . The hospital ’ s Endoscopy Centre is equipped with advanced technology to provide clear and detailed images of the oesophagus , stomach , and colon with the use of an endoscope . This involves the insertion of a small tube , either through the mouth ( gastroscopy ) or the anus ( colonoscopy ). Endoscopies enable accurate diagnosis of various conditions , such as difficulties with swallowing , abdominal pain , blood in the stools , chronic heartburn , indigestion , and changes in bowel habits .
” With a combination of experience , safety guidelines and the latest equipment , these diagnostic procedures are made extremely
April Chia with Varun Panjwani
safe at MEH . A common procedure that , in rare cases , can lead to bowel perforation and even death , colonoscopy has a bowel perforation rate as low as 0.0005 percent at MEH ,” said Dr Yeo .
Besides diagnosing conditions like colon cancer and inflammatory bowel diseases , a colonoscopy can also be used therapeutically to remove polyps , benign tumours in the stomach or colon that over time can develop into cancer .
Another key diagnostic and therapeutic procedure available at MEH is endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography ( ERCP ). This involves the insertion of a long tube in the mouth to drive it down through the stomach and farther to examine the digestive tract , nearby organs , and the bile and pancreatic ducts . ERCP is commonly recommended for reviewing and treating patients with bile duct stones or tumours in the liver , pancreas , and bile ducts . For example , it can find and remove gallstones from the bile duct and sometimes from the pancreas . ERCP can also help detect cancer or non-cancerous lesions . Should a patient ’ s bile duct be blocked , the specialist can use ERCP to put in a stent , or a small plastic tube , to keep the duct open and the digestive juices flowing . Finally , ERCP can help find and treat problems following gallbladder surgery .
Gastroenterologists at MEH are also experienced in treating several liver diseases like hepatitis ( a viral infection ) and cirrhosis ( scarring of the liver ). An array of medications can help manage both conditions , provided that patients adopt a healthy lifestyle to protect their liver , such as avoiding the consumption of alcohol .
In the event that a liver transplant is necessary , Mount Elizabeth Orchard is fully equipped with a multidisciplinary team of specialists and nurses to perform a living donor liver transplant . As part of this procedure , a portion of a living donor ’ s liver is implanted into the receiving patient . As the liver has the ability to regenerate itself , both individuals will have a healthy functional organ over time .
The liver transplant team includes specialists from gastroenterology , general surgery , infectious diseases , respiratory medicine , cardiology , and anaesthesiology . The gastroenterologists will be involved in the assessment of the liver ’ s condition and the medical management of both donor and recipient , as well as their post-transplant management .
56 DECEMBER 2020 GlobalHealthAsiaPacific . com