Healthwatch: Endoscopic ultrasound
JACKSON, Tenn. — New technology is offering an alternative to patients facing exploratory surgery. The combination of two existing testing procedures is now available in West Tennessee to help doctors better detect certain types of cancers. Endoscopic ultrasound is one of the most advanced procedures being offered in the field of gastroenterology. “We have been fortunate in the past few months that we have added this procedure to offer to our patients,” gastroenterologist Dr. Mihir Patel said. Patel, a gastroenterologist at Jackson-Madison County General Hospital, explains how endoscopic ultrasound, or EUS, helps doctors detect and diagnose certain types of cancer. “One of the major areas is pancreas, esophagus, rectum, bile duct and some of the lymph nodes in the abdomen,” Patel said. Patel describes how the procedure works. “Having an inbuilt ultrasound technique added with endoscopy, we can be able to visualize the surrounding organs while we advance our scope through the GI tract,” Patel said. “The entire procedure is pretty much painless. It has also been shown to be very beneficial to the patient and less risk of complications.” If you or anyone you know is suffering symptoms of digestive internal organ disorders, they may benefit from endoscopic ultrasound examination. The following physicians at Jackson-Madison County General Hospital are currently performing the procedure: Mihir Patel, M.D., and Gregory Szych, M.D.
