Gastroenterology

At Cromwell Hospital, our rapid-access bowel care diagnostic pathway aims to identify the signs of bowel cancer as early as possible.

We provide next-day appointments and diagnostic tests, and our specialists will often be able to diagnose you during your initial consultation. Once diagnosed, you will receive a tailored treatment plan, delivered by world-leading consultants at our central London hospital.

Bowel care diagnostic pathway >

Capsule endoscopy is a non-invasive procedure that provides your gastroenterologist with images from inside your digestive tract.

It involves swallowing a small capsule which contains a tiny, wireless camera. As the camera travels through your digestive system, it captures and transmits images to a data recorder, which is a device worn externally on a belt around your waist.

Capsule endoscopy >

Colonoscopy is a minimally invasive procedure used to assess and treat problems within your large intestine (colon) and rectum.

You might have a colonoscopy to understand the cause of bowel symptoms such as blood in your stool (poo), diarrhea and constipation, or unexplained weight loss.

The procedure is carried out using a colonoscope, which is a thin, flexible tube fitted with a small light and video camera. The camera sends detailed images of your lower gastrointestinal system back to a monitor, where they are viewed by your gastroenterologist or specialist nurse. You may have a tissue sample (biopsy) taken during the procedure, which will be sent to a lab for testing.

During the procedure, your gastroenterologist can also remove polyps, stop bleeding, or stretch out a narrowed area known as a stricture.

Colonoscopy >

An ERCP – which stands for endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography – is a minimally invasive procedure that uses X-rays and an endoscope to assess and treat problems in the liver, gallbladder, bile ducts, and pancreas.

The procedure is carried out using an endoscope, which is a thin, flexible tube fitted with a small light and video camera. A contrast dye is injected through the endoscope to improve the visualisation of the X-ray. You may have a tissue sample (biopsy) taken during the procedure, which will be sent to a lab for testing.

During the procedure, your gastroenterologist can also open blocked ducts, remove stones or tumours, or insert a stent (a small tube that holds open blocked bile or pancreatic ducts).

Diagnostic ERCP >

Therapeutic ERCP >

A flexible sigmoidoscopy is a minimally invasive procedure used to examine the sigmoid colon, which is the lower part of the large intestine.

A flexible sigmoidoscopy may be used to remove polyps or haemorrhoids (swollen veins in your rectum and anus). It is also used as a screening test for colon cancer and rectal cancer.

The procedure is carried out using an endoscope, which is a thin, flexible tube fitted with a small light and camera. The camera sends detailed images of your sigmoid colon back to a monitor, which is viewed by your gastroenterologist or specialist nurse.  

You may have a tissue sample (biopsy) taken during the procedure, which will be sent to a lab for testing. 

A gastroscopy is a minimally invasive procedure used to assess and treat problems in your oesophagus (food pipe), stomach, and the first part of your small intestine (duodenum). It is a type of endoscopy, so you may also hear it referred to as an upper endoscopy.

The procedure is carried out using an endoscope, which is a thin, flexible tube fitted with a small light and camera. The camera sends detailed images of your upper gastrointestinal system back to a monitor, which is viewed by your gastroenterologist or specialist nurse.  You may have a tissue sample (biopsy) taken during the procedure, which will be sent to a lab for testing.

The procedure may also be carried out to treat stomach ulcers or oesophageal bleeding, or to remove benign (non-cancerous) growths in the oesophagus.

Therapeutic gastroscopy >

By combining a gastroscopy and colonoscopy, your consultant is provided with detailed images of both your upper and lower gastrointestinal system, allowing them to assess and treat any problems. You may have a tissue sample (biopsy) taken during the procedure, which will be sent to a lab for testing.

Diagnostic gastroscopy and colonoscopy >

Therapeutic gastroscopy and colonoscopy >

A haemorrhoidectomy is a surgical procedure to remove haemorrhoids, also known as piles. Haemorrhoids are swollen veins in or around the anus and lower rectum, which are often painless but may cause health complications.

Haemorrhoidectomy >

Your gastroenterologist may recommend you undergo diagnostic imaging, such as:

• CT scan
• MRI scan
• PET scan
• ultrasound

Unexplained gastrointestinal symptoms, such as stomach pain or reflux, can be worrying. Unfortunately, patients with non-specific symptoms are more likely to experience delays in diagnosis and poorer health outcomes.

The non-specific symptoms pathway at Cromwell Hospital provides rapid assessment and diagnostic tests for patients experiencing such symptoms.

Non-specific symptoms pathway >