Gastroenterologist
At Forum Specialists our Inner West Sydney based Gastroenterologists specialise in the diagnosis and treatment of various disorders affecting the digestive/gastrointestinal system. A gastroenterologist is a medical expert who focuses on the entire gastrointestinal tract (esophagus, stomach, intestines) and biliary organs (liver, gall bladder, bile ducts)
What does a Gastroenterologist do?
At our centre in Sydney, our gastroenterologists provide care for a wide range of gastrointestinal conditions, including but not limited to:
- Investigations for cancer in the gastrointestinal or biliary system – Assessing your symptoms, screening test results and more
- Esophageal disorders: Difficulty swallowing, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GORD), Esophagitis, hiatus hernia and more
- Bowel disorders: Inflammatory bowel disease, Irritable bowel syndrome, Celiac disease, Chronic diarrhea, Constipation, Stomach ulcers, Helicoacter Pylori, Malabsorption/malnutrition, Rectal bleeding, Colorectal polyps and more
- Liver diseases: Viral hepatitis, Fatty liver disease, Cirrhosis and more
- Biliary organ diseases: Gallstones, Pancreatitis
- Finding a source of occult (invisible) GI blood loss in iron deficiency anemia
Common gastrointestinal symptoms incl: abdominal pain, bloating, indigestion, heart burn weight loss, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, rectal bleeding, and jaundice
Your gastroenterologist will take a history, perform an examination and order initial tests that can include blood tests, CT scans, and stool tests. If more information is needed, your gastroenterologist is specially trained to perform endoscopic procedures (video camera examination that looks inside your body at different parts of your gastrointestinal tract) at a local endoscopy centre. Different types of endoscopic procedures they may recommend incl:
- Upper Endoscopy- examination of the upper GI tract, including the esophagus, stomach and duodenum
- Colonoscopy- examination of the lower GI tract including the colon and rectum
- Polypectomy- removal of polyps from the GI tract
- Endoscopic Ultrasound- use of an ultrasound attached to the endoscope to visualise the biliary system during endoscopy
- ERCP- ‘Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography’ is an upper endoscopic examination that extends into the biliary ducts and takes fluoroscopic X-rays (video X-rays) of the biliary system
- Enteroscopy- examination of the small intestine
Why should I see a Gastroenterologist?
A gastroenterologist is a specialist physician who has undertaken additional training in the diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal conditions. In Australia, this will mean they have spent a minimum of 7 additional years of medical training after completing medical school. As a result, they are likely to have a greater level of knowledge on your gastrointestinal condition, and be more up to date with different medications and clinical trials that can help treat your condition. They are also skilled in performing endoscopic procedures that are essential for comprehensive assessment and treatment of gastrointestinal disorders.
Our Gastroenterologists at Forum Specialists work closely with your GP to help manage gastrointestinal conditions. If you’re currently seeing your GP for your gastrointestinal condition and want any additional information on managing your condition, speak to your GP for a referral to a gastroenterologist. Contact our team today to schedule a consultation with a gastroenterologist in Sydney who can address your specific needs with expertise and compassion.
