Gastroenterology and Hepatology

Doctors have long used endoscopes — long, flexible tubes outfitted with a camera and light — to examine the digestive tract and help diagnose related disorders.

Now, advances in endoscopy are allowing physicians to go a step further and treat the disorder directly, giving them another nonsurgical treatment option to potentially offer to patients. Advanced endoscopy integrates minimally invasive techniques, therapeutic ultrasonography and live microscopic imaging of the gastrointestinal tract. 

Physicians at Weill Cornell Medicine are experts in this new approach, with extensive experience in performing the full spectrum of advanced endoscopic procedures to diagnose and treat disorders in the digestive tract such as achalasia, leiomyoma, submucosal lesions, pancreatitis, pancreatic fluid collections and early digestive cancers.

During an advanced endoscopic procedure, physicians gently insert the scope down the patient’s throat to visualize the area of interest and incorporate other equipment to open up obstructions like cancer tissue, inflammation or stones; drain liquid from an infected area; or destroy precancerous tissue.

Learn more about the procedure or to request an appointment with one of our physicians by contacting our office today.

The key to effective disease management of acute and chronic viral hepatitis is coordinated care among specialty-trained physicians. Treatment is enforced through strict standards of practice, treatment protocols, close coordination of care with referring physicians and providing the most advanced and scientifically based approaches to the management of hepatitis. 

Hepatitis is a serious inflammation of the liver, usually due to a virus. The most prevalent of these in the United Stare are hepatitis A, B and C. Weill Cornell Medicine offers the most advanced diagnostic and treatment procedures for patients with all forms of viral hepatitis.

Treatment for hepatitis varies, depending on the type and severity of the disease:

Hepatitis A

Hepatitis A is the most common form of viral hepatitis. The disease is acquired from contaminated food or water. In healthy individuals, it causes an acute illness with fever, loss of appetite and jaundice lasting two to three weeks. Complete recovery is the rule, followed by life-long immunity to the virus. In people with pre-existing advanced liver disease, acute hepatitis A tends to be severe and can be fatal.

Hepatitis B

Acquired through exposure to the blood or secretions of an infected person, hepatitis B also can be transmitted through sexual contact. Newborns may acquire it at the time of birth from a mother with active hepatitis B. 

Adults who contract hepatitis B have an acute illness that ranges from very mild, with flu-like symptoms only, to nausea, abdominal pain and jaundice.

Most people with the condition recover and develop immunity, but 5 percent to 10 percent become persistently infected, and have the potential to infect others. For infants who are exposed at birth and do not receive treatment, the rate of chronic infection is much higher. People with long-standing active hepatitis B, spanning more than 20 years, are at risk of developing liver cancer.

Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C is usually spread through contact with infected blood. It can either be acute or become chronic and even life threatening. There is no vaccine for hepatitis C.

The acute illness is frequently very mild. However, many people fail to clear the virus, such that about 70 percent become chronically infected. An estimated 4 million Americans have hepatitis C, many of whom are unaware of their condition. As the disease progresses, the first sign may be nothing more than decreased energy. As the liver disease becomes significant, patients may experience retention of fluid, causing swelling of the ankles and increased weight, internal bleeding and confusion. 

Patients with pancreatic diseases and disorders can find expert, compassionate care at the Pancreas Program at Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, where a team of specialists provide personalized treatments for cancerous and noncancerous conditions, including pancreatitis, pancreatic stones and pancreatic cysts and necrosis and pseudocysts.

In particular, we excel in early diagnosis, minimally invasive interventions, surgical services and palliative treatment that aims to relieve patients’ symptoms and improve their quality of life using cutting edge techniques.

Our approach is collaborative, with a team of physicians — specializing in surgery, advanced endoscopy, medical oncology, radiation oncology, pain management, nutrition, radiology, and pathology — working together alongside nurse practitioners, patient navigators and other medical and support professionals to deliver seamless, comprehensive care.

As part of a large academic medical center, we can also refer patients to experts who can care for other medical issues they may have, such as diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure.

Our multidisciplinary approach extends beyond the exam room and into the laboratory, where our physicians search for new and better ways to treat pancreatic diseases and disorders. Their research also provides patients with opportunities to participate in clinical trials, which allows patients to access therapies that may not be available anywhere else.

Education is also a large part of the Pancreas Program. As part of the Center for Advanced Digestive Care, the program regularly provides educational seminars for patients and their families. We also collaborate with the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, which funds research and links patients and their families to support and education.

Contact us to learn more about the services we provide at Pancreas Program and to schedule an appointment with one of our experts.