More About Gastroenterology Clinical Trials

Gastroenterology clinical trials is a medical specialty that focuses on the study, diagnosis, and treatment of conditions related to the luminal gastrointestinal (gastroenterology clinical trials) tract. This includes the parts of the body involved in the digestion of food and drink, starting with the esophagus and continuing down to the anus.

Differences between Gastroenterology Clinical Trials and Gastrointestinal

The words gastroenterology and gastrointestinal have similar meanings but are not identical. Gastroenterology is a noun that refers to a medical specialty focused on the digestive tract. Gastrointestinal is an adjective usually used to refer to the digestive tract as a whole. Gastroenterologists are doctors who specialize in the study, diagnosis, and treatment of conditions of the gastrointestinal (gastroenterology clinical trials) tract.

Gastroenterologists are sometimes confused with colon or rectal surgeons. Although gastroenterologists perform various procedures, they do not perform surgery.

Specialized training

A gastroenterologist is a medical doctor (MD) or doctor of osteopathic medicine (DO) who specializes in gastroenterology. They may also be called gastroenterology clinical trials doctors, short for gastrointestinal.

After graduating from medical school, gastroenterologists must complete a three-year internship. Most trainees also complete a two- to three-year fellowship in gastroenterology for additional training. Some gastroenterologists further specialize in their field, becoming experts in areas such as pediatric gastroenterology or liver disease.

Gastrointestinal tract-body connection

Gastroenterologists specialize in the study, diagnosis, and treatment of the digestive system, which includes:

Bile ducts (bile ducts)
Colon
Esophagus
Gallbladder
Colon
Liver
Pancreas
Rectum
Small intestine
Stomach

“The health problems treated in gastroenterology often have a connection to the rest of our body,” says Thomas D. Schiano, MD, professor of medicine at The Mount Sinai Hospital in New York and a Castle Connolly Top Doctor. “Many systemic disorders have gastrointestinal manifestations.”

For example, someone with Crohn’s disease (a type of inflammatory bowel disease) may also suffer from fevers, skin rashes and arthritis. Conversely, there are autoimmune conditions associated with gastroenterology clinical trials disorders such as acid reflux and gastritis. There are also many systemic disorders that affect the liver.

“If you have lupus, heart problems, or sarcoidosis, your liver can suffer as well,” says Dr. Schiano.

Because gastrointestinal symptoms can be related to systemic disorders, gastroenterologists often collaborate with specialists in other areas of medicine.

Treatment of a wide range of gastroenterological conditions

Gastroenterology encompasses many diseases and conditions. Depending on the nature of the problem, patients may require a visit to a hospital emergency department or urgent care facility, an urgent gastroenterologist visit, or a non-urgent gastroenterologist visit. The type of care people need depends on the severity of their pain, symptoms and overall health.

For example, mild abdominal pain may require an emergency appointment with a gastroenterologist, but severe abdominal pain accompanied by fever and black tarry stools may require a visit to the emergency room. Additionally, people with chronic conditions such as heart problems or diabetes may need to be seen more quickly than people without such conditions.

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Go to the emergency room

People should go to the nearest hospital emergency department immediately if they experience or suspect any of the following conditions:

Vomiting blood
Clostridium difficile infection
Pain in the chest
Intestinal obstruction
Pancreatitis
Parasitic infection
Stuffiness
Severe abdominal pain
Black or bloody stools accompanied by dizziness or fainting.

Go to urgent care or see a gastroenterologist for an urgent appointment

People should make an appointment with a gastroenterology clinical trials or contact their nearest urgent care provider immediately if they experience or suspect any of the following conditions:

Moderate abdominal pain
Acute diarrhea that does not go away
Food borne diseases
Nausea and vomiting
Black or bloody stools

See a gastroenterologist for a non-urgent appointment

People should make a non-urgent appointment with a gastroenterologist if they have or suspect any of the following:

Achalasia
Acid Reflux/Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
Gastrointestinal complications of AIDS
Alagille syndrome
Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency
Anal cancer
Anal fissures
Anal fistula
Anal squamous cell carcinoma
Anemia
Ascites
Barrett’s esophagus
Gallstones
Disorders of the bile ducts
Budd-Chiari syndrome
Byler’s disease
Celiac disease
Change in voiding
Cirrhosis
Colon cancer
Colon motility dysfunction
Colon ischemia
Colon melanoma
Colon polyps
Crohn’s disease
Cronkite-Canadian syndrome
Cystic fibrosis
Diaphragmatic hernia
Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia)
Diverticulosis
Diverticulitis
Eosinophilic esophagitis
Esophageal cancer
Esophageal spasms
Fatty liver/non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
Fecal incontinence
Frequent belching
Frequent constipation
Frequent gas
Frequent indigestion (dyspepsia)
Gallstones
Gallstone pancreatitis
Gastritis
Gastrointestinal bleeding
Gastrointestinal cancers
Lymphoma of the gastrointestinal tract
Gastroparesis
Helicobacter pylori (h. pylori) infection.
Hemorrhoid
Jaundice type A
Jaundice type B
Hepatitis C
Hereditary hemochromatosis
Hiatal hernia
Hypereosinophilic syndrome
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
Colon cancer
Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Juvenile polyposis syndrome
Lactose intolerance
Liver cancer
Liver disease
Liver lymphoma
Lynch syndrome
Malabsorption syndrome
Mesenteric ischemia
Momentum disorders
Obesity
Pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cysts
Peptic ulcer disease
Polyposis syndrome
Pouchitis
Primary biliary cirrhosis
Primary sclerosis cholangitis
Rectal cancer
Rectal melanoma
Rectal prolapse
Rumination syndrome
Short bowel syndrome
Cancer of the small intestine
Small bowel ischemia
Stomach cancer
Ulcerative colitis
Urinary tract infection
Weight management
Whipple’s disease
Wilson’s disease
Zollinger-Ellison syndrome

Gastroenterology Tests and Procedures

Because gastroenterology covers such a wide range of health conditions, there is a wide range of tests and procedures used to diagnose and treat patients. Those commonly performed by gastroenterologists include:

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Endoscopy

Endoscopy uses a flexible, long tube with a camera and light at the end to take pictures. Gastroenterologists use specific types of endoscopy to pinpoint the causes of digestive problems such as acid reflux, vomiting, or stomach pain. Upper endoscopy is one type of endoscopic test used in gastroenterology; others are explained below.

Enteroscopy

Enteroscopy is endoscopy used specifically to examine the small bowel (small intestine) – typically used to identify the source of intestinal bleeding or to find out the cause of nutritional malabsorption. It uses conventional endoscopy, double-balloon endoscopy, or capsule endoscopy.

Colonoscopy

A colonoscopy is an endoscopic procedure that allows the doctor to see the lining of the large bowel and parts of the small intestine and rectum. If doctors see anything suspicious during the procedure, they may take a tissue sample (biopsy). A colonoscopy helps the doctor check patients for colon polyps or colorectal cancer, and also can be used to detect Crohn’s disease, fistulas, and fissures.

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)

ERCP is a procedure used to assess and treat problems of the bile and pancreatic ducts and the gallbladder. This includes identifying the cause of pain in the upper right abdomen or finding acute pancreatitis.

Esophageal manometry

This endoscopic test is used to look at the esophageal muscles and evaluate lower esophageal sphincter function. It’s most commonly used in patients with swallowing problems, heartburn, or chest pain.
Percutaneous endoscopic gastroenterology clinical trials (PEG): This procedure is used to insert a feeding tube into the stomach of someone who cannot take food by mouth, such as a stroke patient or cancer patient.

Sigmoidoscopy

This endoscopic procedure lets doctors view the rectum lining and the lower third of the colon. It’s used to evaluate and treat rectal bleeding, polyps, foreign bodies, and colorectal cancer.

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