Gastroenterology at Lancaster General Health

Lancaster General Health works with physicians and other health-care professionals to evaluate and treat digestive and intestinal problems, and nutrition-related disorders in infants, children and adults. Lancaster General Hospital has been nationally and regionally recognized for our gastroenterology care.

Conditions We Treat

• Abdominal pain (recurrent)
• Celiac disease
• Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis
• Chronic diarrhea
• Colon cancer
• Constipation
• Encopresis (soiling)
• Esophageal cancer
• Gall bladder disease
• Gastroesophageal reflux
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Lactose intolerance
• Liver disease (hepatitis/cirrhosis)
• Malabsorption
• Peptic ulcer disease

Treatments and Procedures

Physicians perform a variety of endoscopic procedures to view the digestive tract and diagnose, and sometimes treat, a variety of conditions and diseases. Using an endoscope—a tube-like device with a small camera attached—your physician can see polyps and other irregularities. Procedures performed with an endoscope include:

• Upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy, also known as esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD), examines the esophagus, stomach, and upper part of the small intestine (duodenum)
• Colonoscopy, or lower GI endoscopy, examines the rectum and the colon, or large intestine
• Anoscopy examines the anus, anal canal and lower rectum
• Enteroscopy examines the small intestine, or small bowel
• Bronchoscopy examines the airways and lungs
• Sigmoidoscopy examines the rectum and the colon, or large intestine

What to Expect

Endoscopy is performed as an outpatient procedure. You will be sedated for most procedures and will not feel discomfort. When you arrive, you will change into a hospital gown. A nurse will review your health history and start an IV (intravenous) drip. Before discharge, you will receive instructions on how to care for yourself at home. Expect your stay to last from one to five hours. Please arrange for someone to drive you home.

How to Prepare

You cannot eat or drink before the procedure. If your doctor wants you to continue to take any medications, swallow with a sip of water. Tell your doctor if you take aspirin, ibuprofen, Coumadin (warfarin) or other blood-thinning drugs. You may need to stop taking these medications several days beforehand. Depending on the procedure, you may need to fast and take a laxative and/or enema the day before.

On the day of the procedure, bathe and arrive wearing comfortable clothing. Please leave money and valuables at home. Do not wear jewelry, contact lenses, or nail polish.

Getting Your Results

Depending on the procedure, the doctor who performs the endoscopy may give you the results immediately. You can also view your results on MyLGHealth, our secure online tool that gives you access to your medical information.

An Adult Must Stay During Your Procedure

Due to the anesthesia that you receive, a responsible adult must accompany you to and from the hospital and stay onsite during your procedure. You cannot be dropped off. You may take public transportation (bus taxi, shuttle), but only with the responsible adult who stays with you during the procedure and accompanies you home.