What’s the Scope?
New Technology Improves Care for Digestive Health Patients

There are nearly 70 million Americans who deal with digestive disorders everyday. The good news is that recent advancements in diagnostic technology and treatment options are helping to manage these problems better than ever.

The goal at Lakewood Hospital’s Digestive Health Center is to provide the latest technological advancements and cutting-edge treatments, raising the bar for patient care. The newest addition to the center is the Spyglass® Visualization System, a minimally invasive endoscopic technique that gives physicians direct views into a patient’s biliary system, which includes the bile duct, pancreas and liver.

“This equipment is adding a new dimension to the way we diagnose and treat,” explains Newton Muthunayagam, M.D. “In the past, we’ve had indirect imaging of the bile duct.” But with the Spyglass scope, we can now actually explore those parts of the digestive system and see first-hand what’s going on.”

The Spyglass scope is done under sedation or anesthesia but is typically an outpatient procedure. Unlike more conventional technologies, Spyglass is not only used for diagnostics, but for performing certain procedures as well. Physicians can fragment large stones, open obstructed bile ducts and obtain biopsies in suspected tumors – most of which previously required surgery.

“It is truly a means of enhancing patient care,” adds Mousab Tabbaa, M.D., chief of gastroenterology at Lakewood Hospital. “For the physician, we can see things we couldn’t before and maximize the accuracy of our diagnosis. Our patients benefit from shorter hospital stays and better overall care. This is one of the early steps of making our Digestive Health Center a true center of excellence.”

Lakewood Hospital’s Digestive Health Center is one of the few in the area offering Spyglass endoscopic procedures. For more information, contact the center at 216-227-2576.