Raleigh Community Hospital Introduces New Service

Patients can now benefit from the only full-service Gastrointestinal Program in Wake County at Raleigh Community Hospital. The program incorporates a relatively new procedure, the Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS). EUS combines the techniques of endoscopy and ultrasound examination to obtain images and information about various parts of the digestive tract through a less invasive procedure than surgery. The procedure enables physicians to detect and determine treatment for cancerous and non-cancerous tumors, masses and lesions in body tissues at earlier stages, as well as determine how aggressively these masses should be treated.

New Technology

EUS incorporates endoscopes, thin flexible telescopes that allow trained specialists to examine most areas of the gut. Located at the end of the scope, a small television camera enables physicians to see the lining of the gut on a television monitor. A small ultrasound transducer is also mounted on the tip of the scope; making is possible to obtain high quality ultrasound images inside the upper and lower digestive tract.

These endoscopes deliver an enhanced image and ultrasound, allowing both diagnostic and therapeutic applications to take place during a single procedure. A color dopple screen can also show images of blood flow through body tissue, allowing physicians to differentiate vascular anatomy from tumors.

Procedure

The following situations benefit from EUS:

• Staging of cancers of the esophagus, stomach, pancreas and rectum - EUS is highly accurate in evaluating involvement in tumor spread of the different gut-wall layers and surrounding lymphnodes.
• Staging of lung cancer - EUS is valuable in detecting cancer spreads to lymph nodes in the center of the chest (mediastinum) which are not always visible on CT scans.
• Submucosal Lesions - Ultrasound scanning over "submucosal nodules," nodules or lumps bulging from the wall of the esophagus or stomach, is helpful in determining their nature and treatment.
• Chronic Pancreatitis - EUS aids in providing detailed information about the pancreas gland and pancreatic duct. Chronic inflammation and damage to the pancreas are often difficult to diagnose.
• Disorders of the bile duct and Fecal Incontinence

Specially Trained Physicians and Staff

Physicians Rig Patel, M.D. and Chris Schwartz, M.D. have been trained to use this new service. Specially trained staff members assist Drs. Patel and Schwartz in procedures that last from 45 minutes to two hours and are much less invasive than surgery.

Dr. Patel said in many instances EUS has proven to be superior to MRI or CT scanning. "Endoscopic Ultrasound is a relatively new method that allows a minimally invasive, non-surgical evaluation of the internal organs to a very high degree of accuracy. The availability of EUS at RCH is a major contribution to the high level of Gastrointestinal care that is now available in Wake County," Dr. Patel said.

Duke Hospital and UNC Hospital are also equipped with a full service GI program.

Raleigh Community Hospital is a 205-bed acute-care facility located one block north of the beltline on Wake Forest Road in North Raleigh. Raleigh Community Hospital is part of the Duke University Health System. A full-service acute care hospital, RCH's range of services includes a 24-hour Emergency Department, Intensive and Critical Care, Child Birth Center, Rehabilitation, Newborn Hearing Screening, Diabetes Treatment Center, Senior Health Center, Hematology/Oncology, Radiation/Oncology and community education.