The Endoscopy Suite at St. Francis Hospital provides outstanding nursing care for each and every patient who comes through our doors. Although patients spend just a short time with us, we make sure their individual needs are met. We provide the highest standard of care with both quality and safety being our primary goals and constantly seek to raise the bar of excellence in all aspects of our practice. The Staff in the Endoscopy Unit not only provides compassionate care for all of our patients, we are sensitive to the needs of their families as well. Please explore this site to find out more about all the services we provide.

The Endoscopy Unit of St. Francis Hospital is dedicated to the performance of gastroscopies, colonoscopies and other common diagnostic tests. Our facility features prompt and efficient care in a comfortable setting. Registered nurses and a support team experienced in patient care staff our unit.

Our endoscopy suite consists of 2 treatment rooms and a 9-bed admitting and recovery area. It is open from 7 a.m.–7 p.m. Monday through Friday. We offer convenient scheduling and a patient friendly environment.

Patients admitted to our unit are assessed before, during and after every procedure. Outpatients are contacted via telephone the day before, so we can explain the procedure. Upon arrival, various members of our health care team including clinical nurses, anesthesiologists and attending physicians individually assess all patients.

Once a procedure is over, patients are continuously monitored in our recovery room until discharge criteria is met. We provide specific discharge instructions including activity, diet and follow up care. A phone call is also made the following day by our clinical nurses to assess how you are feeling and if there are any additional needs or concerns that we may help you with.

Conditions Treated

Digestive and Gastrointestinal Diseases:

• Barrett’s Disease
• Common Bile Duct Stones
• Crohn’s Disease
• Difficulty Swallowing
• Diverticulitis
• Diverticulosis
• Duodenal Ulcers
• Duodenitis
• Esophageal Varices
• Esophagitis
• Gallstones
• Gastric and Colonic Polyps
• Gastritis
• Gastric Reflux Disease
• Gastric Ulcers
• Hemmorroids
• Hiatus Hernia
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• Small Bowel Disease
• Ulcerative Colitis

Other Conditions:

• Chronic Back Pain
• Chronic Neck Pain
• Lung Disease

Key Treatments

Gastroscopy - Examination of the inside of the oesophagus (gullet), stomach and duodenum using a thin, flexible fiberscope that is passed through the mouth. It enables the doctor to see if there is any damage to the lining of the gullet or stomach and if there are any ulcers in the stomach or duodenum. The procedure is painless and is usually done under a light sedative. It takes about 10 to 15 minutes.

Colonoscopy - Examination of the entire colon using an elongated flexible endoscope called a colonoscope. A colonoscopy rarely causes much pain, but patients may feel pressure, bloating or cramping during the procedure, which can take 15 to 60 minutes. Sedatives are sometimes given to help patients relax and better tolerate any discomfort.

Bronchoscopy - A procedure that allows a doctor to look at your airways through a thin viewing instrument called a bronchoscope. During a bronchoscopy the doctor can examine your throat, larynx, trachea, and lower airways. The procedure can be done with a flexible scope, which does not require general anesthesia, or a rigid scope, which does, when there is bleeding on the airway that could block the flexible scopes view.

Capsule Endoscopy - A new diagnostic procedure that uses a pill sized video capsule to enable a doctor to examine the lining of the middle part of the gastrointestinal tract. This part of the intestine cannot be reached by a traditional endoscopy or colonoscopy. Capsule endoscopy can be useful for detecting polyps, inflammatory bowel disease, ulcers, and tumors of the small intestine. Patients must fast for 12 hours before the procedure, because an empty Stomach allows for the best and safest examination.