Gastroenterology is the branch of medicine focused on the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the digestive system.
This consists of the gullet (oesophagus), the stomach, the small intestine, the large intestine (colon), the rectum and anus (back passage), the liver, the gallbladder and the pancreas.
The team at Cork Cancer Centre collaborates with colleagues in endoscopy, GI surgery, radiology, pathology and dietetics to diagnose GI and hepatobiliary cancers and the treatment of GI complications of cancers treated with chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy.
Bon Secours Hospital Cork provides a range of diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopic procedures in a modern endoscopy unit for the diagnosis and treatment of GI cancers and benign conditions of the upper and lower GI tract, as well as a comprehensive range of services to diagnose oesophageal and colorectal cancer.
Endoscopic procedures include:
- Gastroscopy
- Flexible sigmoidoscopy
- Colonoscopy
- Endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography (ERCP)
A direct access outpatient endoscopy service is provided for selected patients on receipt of a referral letter. The department is supported by two inflammatory bowel disease/GI nurse specialists who can be contacted directly by patients and GPs.