Gastroenterology services offered by Saint Louis University Hospital and SLUCare physicians were ranked No. 29 among U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Hospitals,” 2001.

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

HEPATOLOGY
The SLUCare Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology includes an experienced team of professionals dedicated solely to caring for the complex needs of patients with liver disease. Our division’s strength lies in evaluating and managing 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 percutaneous 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 hepatic pathologists.

Our expertise in diagnosing and treating liver diseases ranges from the evaluation of trivial enzyme abnormalities due to fatty liver to the management of severe, complicated, end-stage liver disease in patients awaiting orthotopic liver transplantation. 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. We are among leaders in both clinical and laboratory-based research in liver diseases.

An overview of liver diseases with which we have extensive experience includes:
- chronic hepatitis C
- chronic hepatitis B
- hereditary hemochromatosis
- Wilson disease
- alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency
- nonalcholic steatohepatitis
- alcoholic liver disease
- primary biliary cirrhosis
- primary sclerosing cholangitis
- cirrhosis
- Budd-Chiari syndrome
- Amyloidosis
- Hepatocellular carcinoma

Click here for more information on liver transplantation.

ENDOSCOPIC PROCEDURES
Saint Louis University Hospital, working with SLUCare physicians, offers routine endoscopic procedures including:
- upper endoscopy
- colonoscopy
- liver biopsy

Specialized diagnostic and therapeutic procedures include:
- esophageal dilatation
- endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)
- sphincterectomy 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 or banding for esophageal varices
- endoscopic management of gastrointestinal hemorrhage
- laser photocoagulation of neoplasms
- diagnostic laparoscopy