Gastroenterology and Gastrointestinal Endoscopy
The Centre for Gastroenterology and Gastrointestinal Endoscopy at Paideia International Hospital is a centre of excellence for its expert specialists, state-of-the-art equipment and exceptional patient care.
The aim of the multidisciplinary team – made up of gastroenterologists, endoscopists, hepatologists, surgeons, oncologists, internists, radiologists, immunologists, haematologists and infectious disease specialists – is to provide a customised and precise approach to treat each gastrointestinal pathology.
Multi-professional care ensures precise diagnosis and careful guidance at all stages of the disease in order to improve the response to treatment. The services include specialist gastroenterological examinations, diagnostic and operative gastrointestinal endoscopy examinations and colorectal cancer prevention.
Gastroenterology at Paideia International Hospital
Clinical gastroenterology consultations for:
- Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and diverticular disease
- Constipation, diarrhoea and other intestinal motility disorders
Consultations for chronic inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease)
Gastroenterology immunology consultations for:
- Coeliac disease and gluten intolerance
- Disorders of the intestinal microbiota
- Intolerances, allergies and intestinal parasite infections
Clinical nutrition consultations for:
- Eating disorders
- Obesity
Hepatology consultations
Proctology examinations for:
- Haemorrhoids and anal fissures
- Prolapse and pelvic floor disorders
Instrumental examinations:
- Breath test (urea for Helicobacter Pylori, lactose, lactulose, glucose)
- Faecal immunochemical test (FIT) for hidden blood
- Colonic irrigation
- Oesophageal pH-monitoring
- Oesophageal or anorectal manometry
Gastrointestinal endoscopy
Endoscopic procedures are performed in three dedicated endoscopy/operating rooms equipped with the latest generation of high-definition (HD) endoscopic instruments equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) for lesion identification and electronic chromo-endoscopy (ECE) for lesion characterisation. All endoscopic examinations, both diagnostic and operative, are performed completely painlessly, under anaesthesia (deep sedation), under the supervision of experienced anaesthetists.
Endoscopy procedures
- Esophagogastroduodenoscopy with and without biopsies
- Push enteroscopy
- Colonoscopy with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and immediate removal of polypoid and non-polypoid lesions
- Ileoscopy
- Diagnostic and operative echo-endoscopy
- Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)
- Virtual colonoscopy
- Capsule endoscopy of the small intestine and colon
Operative Endoscopy procedures
- Endoscopic polypectomies and advanced endoscopic resections of oesophageal, gastric, duodenal and colorectal lesions
- Treatment of acute or chronic haemorrhages with mechanical haemostasis, argon plasma coagulation or rubber band ligation
- Removal of foreign matter
- Hydrostatic balloon dilation of intestinal stenosis
- Insertion of endoprostheses (oesophageal, duodenal, rectal, biliary)
- Endoscopic treatment of gallstones
- Insertion of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) and percutaneous endoscopic transgastric jejunostomy (PEGJ)
- Intragastric balloon placement for treating obesity
The Gastroenterology and Gastrointestinal Endoscopy unit is also a centre for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of colorectal cancer
Paideia International Hospital’s Colorectal Cancer Prevention Programme is aimed at men and women aged from 50 to 75 and from 40 for the relatives of patients who already suffer from colorectal cancer. This is an active prevention programme involving the search for and immediate removal of neoplastic lesions by means of colonoscopy.
Alternatively, neoplastic lesions can be searched for by means of a virtual colonoscopy with CT or MRI, or “advanced” neoplastic lesions by means of an faecal immunochemical faecal test for hidden blood performed every 2 years. If the test is positive, a total colonoscopy should be performed. Any lesions detected can then be removed immediately during the examination or – if large or “complex” – with a subsequent colonoscopy or surgery.
Subsequent endoscopic examinations will be determined according to international guidelines, based on the number, size and histological examination of the removed lesions.
Asymptomatic patients, for the prevention of colorectal cancer:
- Asymptomatic patients, for the prevention of colorectal cancer:
- Men and women from 50 to 75
- First-degree relatives (children, siblings or parents) of patients who already suffer from polyps or colorectal cancer, from age 40
- Patients with polyps or colorectal cancer that need to be removed
- Patients who have already undergone surgery for colorectal cancer or polyps, who must undergo surveillance
- Patients with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis for more than 8 years
- Patients experiencing warning symptoms such as:
- Rectal or anal bleeding of unknown cause
- Positive faecal hidden blood test
- Anaemia of an undetermined cause
- Significant changes in bowel movements (constipation or diarrhoea)
- Significant weight loss without obvious causes
- Evaluation of images of uncertain significance on CT or other radiological investigations
At our centre, the type of screening can be customised based on the patient’s characteristics and needs. In addition, those who enter the prevention programme are followed up over time, obtaining the best possible protection against colorectal cancer.
Main features of the colorectal cancer prevention programme:
- Complete customisation of the screening programme according to international guidelines, with reduction of unnecessary colonoscopies
- Optimisation and reduction of time spent on investigations, with the possibility of screening at the patient's convenience, even during weekends
- Choosing the best bowel preparation according to individual characteristics
- Guarantee of high-quality diagnostic and operative procedures, performed with the latest generation of high definition (HD) tools and equipment, including artificial intelligence (AI) for the identification of even the smallest lesions and electronic chromoendoscopy (EC) for characterisation
- World-class physicians, experts in the very latest techniques
- Simultaneous endoscopic removal of neoplastic lesions, even large ones, thus avoiding the need for a subsequent colonoscopy
- Sedation/anaesthesia appropriate to the type of procedure, so that no discomfort is felt
- Highly-qualified medical and nursing staff, who also guide the patient during bowel preparation
- Patient surveillance throughout the duration of the programme, with regular communications from the centre for follow-ups
Main features of the colorectal cancer prevention programme:
- Diagnostic and therapeutic colonoscopy
- CT- or MRI-virtual colonoscopy
- Faecal immunochemical test (FIT) for hidden blood
- Colon capsule endoscopy
- Genetic counselling
- Anatomical pathology with immunohistochemistry
- Minimally invasive surgery
