Advanced Endoscopy

Minimally Invasive Alternatives for Gastrointestinal Problems

If you’re suffering from a digestive health disorder, consider a gentler option for treatment.

The Advanced Endoscopy & Gastrointestinal Service (AEGIS) at the Georgia Regents Digestive Health Center offers a wide range of highly advanced, minimally invasive alternatives to standard invasive diagnostic and surgical procedures. Our multidisciplinary advanced endoscopy team has more than 50 years’ experience in diagnosing and caring for:

General disorders affecting the esophagus, stomach and duodenum, and colon and rectum

  • Management of large complicated polyps, or abnormal tissue growth
  • Diagnosis and treatment of fistula, abnormal connection between vessels or intestines due to infection or inflammation
  • Diagnosis of cancer, or lymphadenopathy, swollen or enlarged lymph nodes outside the gut wall either in the chest or inside the abdomen

Specific esophageal disorders

  • Barrett’s esophagus, a complication of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) that can cause dysplasia, or abnormal cell changes, and increase risk of cancer
  • Perforation, a hole in the esophagus caused by injury
  • Submucosal mass, a tumor in the submucosa layer of the lining of the esophagus or digestive tract

Pancreas and bile duct disorders

  • Stones in the bile duct (choledocholithiasis) or gallbladder (cholelithiasis)
  • Infection of the bile duct (cholangitis)
  • Cancer of the bile duct or gallbladder
  • Inflammation of the pancreas (acute or chronic pancreatitis)
  • Cyst in the pancreas or bile duct (choledochocele)
  • Mass in the pancreas or in the ampulla of Vater, an area where the bile duct and pancreatic duct join
  • Bile duct muscle dysfunction (Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction), causing abdominal pain

Technologically Advanced Care

Sharper images in real time. Greater detail. 3-D imaging. GRHealth’s ongoing partnership with Philips, a worldwide leader in health care electronics, means that we have the most advanced technology available today at our fingertips, allowing us to deliver better care and the latest minimally invasive treatments to you and your family.

Our procedures include:

  • Bariatric endoscopy, endoscopic management of complications after weight-loss surgery
  • Complex polypectomy, removal of polyps or small growths found during a colonoscopy
  • Deep/device-assisted enteroscopy or small bowel endoscopy, which looks deep inside the small intestine to diagnose digestive disorders
  • Endoscopic ablation therapy (HALO), a nonsurgical procedure for Barrett’s esophagus that uses a special catheter and heat to remove diseased or precancerous tissue in the esophagus
  • Endoscopic celiac plexus block/neurolysis. These nerve block injections help reduce often intense, hard-to-treat pain in patients with pancreatic cancer or chronic pancreatitis
  • Endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR), nonsurgical removal of cancerous or other abnormal tissues from the digestive tract for patients with Barrett’s esophagus
  • Endoscopic therapy for Barrett’s esophagus, including EMR, endoscopic mucosectomy (removal of the mucosal layer), and radiofrequency ablation
  • Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS). This procedure allows physicians to examine the lining and walls of the upper and lower gastrointestinal tract using a tube with an ultrasound component. EUS is commonly used to evaluate and drain cysts, stage and manage cancer, and evaluate and perform fine needle aspiration of masses and/or lymph nodes
  • Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). This procedure allows physicians to examine pancreatic and bile ducts using contrast material and fluoroscopy (X-ray). ERCP is commonly used for stent placement, stone removal and fracture (lithotripsy), stricture dilation (opening narrowed areas), and tumor sampling and management
  • Enteral stent placement. Stents, hollow mesh tubes, may be placed in the digestive tract to correct narrowed areas caused by disease or illness
  • Enteral tube/feeding tube placement and venting gastrostomy. During this procedure, an endoscope is inserted through the mouth and into the stomach for the placement of a feeding tube 

Meet Our Advanced Endoscopy Team

Dr. John Affronti, advanced endoscopy, biliary/pancreas and director, AEGIS

Dr. Sumanth Daram, advanced endoscopy, biliary/pancreas

Dr. Subbaramiah Sridhar, advanced endoscopy, biliary/pancreas

Amanda Lee, advanced registered nurse practitioner

Schedule Your Appointment Now

Schedule an online appointment or call 706-446-GUTS (4887) to speak to a member of our digestive health team.