What is gastroenterology and endoscopy?
Gastroenterology is an area of medicine that focuses on the health of your digestive system, or the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Gastroenterologists at The Wesley Hospital provide a full range of services relating to the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of disorders of your oesophagus, stomach, small bowel, colon, gall bladder, liver and pancreas.
The Wesley is one of the largest facilities in Australia. Our team of doctors has sub-specialty interests in all areas of gastroenterology, including the upper GI tract. You will be treated in our state-of-the-art endoscopy unit with four fully integrated procedure rooms, with some of the latest equipment for all forms of endoscopy.
An endoscopy is a procedure that gives your doctor a direct view of your body’s internal organs through an endoscope, which is a thin, flexible, lighted tube with a camera at the tip. The endoscope can be passed into your body and the doctor can see images of your internal organs on a screen. This can allow for diagnosis and treatment of multiple conditions.
There are many types of endoscopy procedures, including:
- Bronchoscopy: Through your mouth to see your airways and lungs.
- Capsule endoscopy: You swallow a capsule that contains a small camera and light source, which wirelessly transmits images of the digestive system.
- Colonoscopy: Through your anus to see your large bowel.
- Cystoscopy: Through your urethra to see your bladder.
- Gastroscopy: Through your mouth to see your stomach and oesophagus.
- Hysteroscopy: Through your vagina and cervix to see your uterus.
The Wesley Hospital’s gastrointestinal specialists treat conditions such as:
- Biliary tract disease (gallstones).
- Diseases of the pancreas.
- Gastrointestinal cancer.
- Hepatitis B/Hepatitis C and other liver diseases.
- Inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.
- Malabsorption and malnutrition diseases.
- Oesophageal diseases, including Barrett’s oesophagus and oesophageal cancer.
Meet our gastrointestinal specialists
Note: The information here is for general reference only. To understand the benefits and risks specific to your condition and overall situation, please discuss any procedure with your treating doctor.
Your next step
To access gastroenterology and endoscopy services at The Wesley Hospital, you will need a referral from your GP. From there, you can make an appointment with one of our gastrointestinal specialists.