Gastroenterology services offered by Saint Louis University Hospital and SLUCare physicians were ranked among the top 50 hospitals in the nation, according to U.S.News & World Report's "America's Best Hospitals" in 2004.

Physicians in SLUCare's division of gastroenterology and hepatology diagnose and treat diseases and disorders of the esophagus, stomach, intestines, gallbladder, biliary tract, pancreas and liver. Medical, endoscopic and surgical methods of diagnosis and treatment are used for conditions from ulcers to colon cancer.

Liver Disease
The SLUCare division of gastroenterology and hepatology cares for the complex needs of patients with liver disease. Our division evaluates and manages patients with various types of liver disease ranging from simple to complex. We strive to provide accurate, timely and cost-effective evaluation of patients with liver enzyme abnormalities, known liver disease and those with complications of cirrhosis.

A liver biopsy may be conducted for the evaluation of patients with various types of liver disease. We offer extensive experience in outpatient liver biopsy and a close working relationship with expert pathologists who specialize in liver disease.

We diagnose and treat a range of liver diseases from enzyme abnormalities due to fatty liver to severe, complicated, end-stage liver disease in patients awaiting liver transplant. Ongoing clinical research activities allow some patients to be included in protocols evaluating various types of interferon or other agents for treatment of chronic viral hepatitis B or C. Some patients may receive some of the latest forms of therapy free of charge with the support of a pharmaceutical industry-sponsored study.

An overview of liver diseases with which we have expertise includes:

• Budd-Chiari syndrome
• amyloidosis
• alcoholic liver disease
• alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency
• chronic hepatitis C
• chronic hepatitis B
• cirrhosis
• hepatocellular carcinoma
• hereditary hemochromatosis
• nonalcholic steatohepatitis
• primary biliary cirrhosis
• primary sclerosing cholangitis
• Wilson disease 

 Endoscopic Procedures
Saint Louis University Hospital, working with SLUCare physicians, offers routine endoscopic procedures including:

• capsule endoscopy of small bowel
• colonoscopy
• liver biopsy
• upper endoscopy

Specialized diagnostic and therapeutic procedures include:

• esophageal dilatation
• endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)
• spincterectomy and removal of gallstones in the bile duct
• biliary stenting
• small bowel enteroscopy
• endoscopic ultrasound
• endoscopic removal of polyps from the colon and stomach
• placing of esophageal stents for carcinoma
• sclerotherapy and banding of esophageal varices
• endoscopic management of gastrointestinal hemorrhage