Digestive Diseases Center

For many people, symptoms like heartburn, nausea, abdominal pain or vomiting are uncomfortable, yet common. These symptoms can be signaling a problem within the digestive system that calls for specialized care. Cabell Huntington Hospital hosts an endoscopy suite near the surgery suite on the hospital’s second floor. The concept combines state-of-the-art technology with more than 50 years of combined experience from the gastroenterologists at the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine.

"The range of all of our capabilities and our experience and being fellowship trained and in one location makes us one of the most comprehensive centers for digestive diseases in West Virginia and southeastern Ohio," said Waseem Shora, MD, AGAF, professor and section chief of gastroenterology at the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine. "The Digestive Diseases Center enables us to treat patients with obscure abdominal pains and symptoms that were not previously diagnosed," Shora said.

Specialized gastrointestinal procedures now available at Cabell Huntington Hospital include:

• Endoscopic Ultrasound: For patients with pancreatic, stomach or rectal tumors to determine the extent of the cancer or for pain control through special medicine injections using therapeutic ultrasound technology
• Capsule Enteroscopy: A small, wireless capsule containing a camera to gather pictures of the small intestine
• Upper GI Endoscopy: For diagnostic evaluation and management of upper gastrointestinal tract disorders
• Motility Studies: To evaluate the muscle movement of the esophagus and the rectum
• Gastric Electrical Stimulation: A gastric pacemaker that sends electrical impulses through abdominal muscles is used to evaluate and manage symptoms in patients who suffer from recurrent nausea and vomiting caused by the slow movement of food through the stomach
• Esophageal PH Monitoring: A technique used to monitor the reflux of acid into the esophagus. Commonly, this is a procedure used in combination with a motility study to evaluate patients with recurrent heartburn, difficulty swallowing or non-cardiac chest pains
• ERCP (Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopa-ncreatography): Used to diagnose problems with the liver, gallbladder and pancreas
• Colonoscopy: A common procedure used to screen for colon cancer and for management of lower intestinal bleeding

"The tests and procedures now available in one location at Cabell Huntington Hospital help in the treatment and evaluation of patients with heartburn, abdominal pains, diarrhea, gastrointestinal bleeding or difficulty swallowing," Dr. Shora said. "We are using new advances for these conditions."

The Importance of Screenings

By creating a center designated solely for evaluation and treatment of digestive diseases, Cabell Huntington Hospital has greatly improved the way patients undergo important procedures such as upper endoscopies and colonoscopies. Shora said this focus on caring for digestive diseases will help physicians bring to light the importance of regular screenings that can expose problems before they get too serious. Shora said many people do not have regular screening colonoscopies even though they are recommended for everyone when they turn 50 years old or younger if they have a family history of diseases such as colon cancer.

"People are usually just scared of being screened," Shora said. "Screenings are very important because most of the patients have no symptoms of these diseases and could have a serious condition like polyps or cancer."

• Last updated: 08/28/2011
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