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All Posts in Category: Online appointment requests

Have questions about endoscopy?

To help patients better understand endoscopy, Dr. Howard, Dr. Levan and Dr. Beetel (left to right) present the following information.

What is endoscopy?

Endoscopy is an umbrella term referring to the process of diagnosing gastrointestinal tract issues. Surgeons utilize an endoscope, which is a long, narrow, flexible operative instrument containing a very small video camera outfitted with a high-powered light to help detect abnormalities.

For gastrointestinal problems of the esophagus, stomach and the duodenum (first part of the small intestine), an upper GI endoscopy is performed to detect and diagnose ulcers, gastritis, polyps, causes of bleeding or pain, and cancer.

For problems related to the colon, such as inflammation, bleeding or pain, and for colon cancer screening, a lower GI endoscopy is performed. When the entire colon requires examination, the procedure is referred to as a colonoscopy. When a partial examination occurs, such as the rectum and the sigmoid colon (first part of the colon) only, the procedure is called a sigmoidoscopy.

What to expect

Endoscopic procedures require patients to follow pre-operative preparation instructions provided by their surgeon prior to surgery such as limiting food and drink intake a day or two before surgery as well as use of colon cleansing kits.  In most procedures, sedating medication is used to maximize patient comfort. A minimally invasive surgery, endoscopic procedures typically allow patients to be discharged less than an hour after the endoscopy is performed.

If a biopsy is performed during endoscopy, patients of Spring Ridge Surgical Specialists can expect to receive test results within just a few days of the procedure, if not sooner, as well as a thorough follow up discussion with their surgeon.

Where will my procedure occur?

Dr. Levan, Dr. Beetel and Dr. Howard perform endoscopic procedures at Surgical Institute of Reading, Reading Hospital and St. Joseph Medical Center, depending on patient preference, scheduling availability and insurance requirements.

If it has been recommended to you either by your primary care physician or other care provider that an endoscopy is warranted, rest assured Spring Ridge Surgical Specialists provides the expertise needed for a positive experience before, during and after surgery.  To make an appointment to see Dr. Joseph Levan, Dr. Thomas Beetel or Dr. Robert Howard, you can request an appointment online by CLICKING HERE.

 

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Online appointments at SRSS!

For the convenience of our patients, our new website features a “Request For Appointment” tab.  Just input your desired appointment date, time, phone number and email address, and we will respond to you no later than 5pm the same business day the request is received. We will either confirm your appointment time or offer an alternative in the event the desired time is not available.  If you need to see Dr. Levan, Dr. Beetel or Dr. Howard for a surgical consultation, click here.

Thank you!

 

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