Gastroenterology and Hepatology

Overview

Gastroenterologists and hepatologists at Mayo Clinic specialize in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the pancreas, liver, gallbladder, esophagus, stomach, small intestine and colon. More than 100 specialists work at the three Mayo locations, one of the largest group of specialtists in the world.

Mayo resources include the latest advances in endoscopic equipment. With these minimally invasive capabilities, physicians insert tubes through the mouth, nose or rectum to examine and treat problems of the digestive tract. Annually, staff members perform more than 50,000 minimally invasive, endoscopic procedures, including colonoscopy, small bowel enteroscopy, laser endoscopy, endoscopic ultrasonography and photodynamic therapy.

Among the areas of service offered in Gastroenterology are:

• Anorectal function testing; evaluation of constipation and fecal incontinence
• Barrett's esophagus
• Clinical nutrition with emphasis on malnutrition from gastrointestinal diseases
• Diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopy, including enteral stents, biliary stents, banding of esophageal varices, small-bowel enteroscopy, endoscopic treatment for gastrointestinal bleeding and endoscopic ultrasound
• Diseases of the pancreas including acute and chronic pancreatitis, hereditary pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, pancreatic cysts, adult cystic fibrosis
• Esophageal diseases and esophageal cancer
• Gastrointestinal cancer (anus, colon, rectum, stomach)
• Heartburn and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), including radiofrequency treatments and anti-reflux surgery
• Hepatobiliary disease, including evaluations for liver transplant and postoperative care
• Inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis
• Malabsorption and malnutrition
• Testing for chronic constipation, including radionuclide gastric and intestinal transit studies, 24-hour pH monitoring, gastroduodenal motility, ambulatory motility recordings and provocative testing for noncardiac chest pain
• Photodynamic therapy for Barrett's esophagus or advanced esophageal cancer
• Swallowing disorders and noncardiac chest pain

Cutting-edge research

The National Institutes of Health funds numerous Gastroenterology research projects at Mayo Clinic. This cooperation helps create an environment for cutting-edge research in which Mayo's scientists and physicians produce more original gastroenterology-related research articles than any other institution in the world. Research conducted at Mayo has produced new treatments of liver disease, new technology to identify and treat irritable bowel syndrome and other motility disorders, and a new generation of endoscopes to perform incision-free procedures.