Flexible Sigmoidoscopy Center - Penn Hills, PA
Penn Hills Gastroenterologist Doctors for Flexible SigmoidoscopyType of Physician: Gastroenterologist What is a Gastroenterologist? A subspecialty certification by the Board of Internal Medicine; practitioners focus on the stomach, intestines, colon, liver, and gallbladder (digestive organs). The gastroenterologist treats conditions such as abdominal pain, ulcers, diarrhea, cancer, and jaundice and they consult with surgeons when abdominal operations are indicated. Specialty: Gastroenterology Common Name: GI Doctor Gastroenterologist Doctors in Penn Hills * Mahesh Varindani MD  Darrell K Reed MD PC  Geoffrey D Block MD  Gastroenterology Associates  Gastroenterology Associates  Gastroenterology Associates  Kelly & Wood Ltd  Kelly & Wood Ltd  Kelly & Wood Ltd  Kelly & Wood Ltd  Kelly & Wood Ltd  Magee Women's Hospital of UPMC  Joel Kichler MD  Medical Gastroenterology Group  Associates in Gastroenterology of Pittsburgh  Associates in Gastroenterology of Pittsburgh  University of Pittsburgh Physicians Gastroenterology  University of Pittsburgh Physicians Gastroenterology  University of Pittsburgh Physicians Gastroenterology  Gastroenterology Associates  Gastroenterology Associates  University of Pittsburgh Physicians Gastroenterology  University of Pittsburgh Physicians  Allegheny Center for Digestive Health  Diagnostic Digestive Disease Associates  Satish Kanakamedala MD  Digestive Disease Consultants  Digestive Disease Consultants  Magee Women's Hospital of UPMC  UPMC Center for Liver Diseases  UPMC Digestive Disorders Center  UPMC Digestive Disorders Center  UPMC Center for Liver Diseases  UPMC Digestive Disorders Center  UPMC Digestive Disorders Center  UPMC Digestive Disorders Center  UPMC Digestive Disorders Center  Magee Women's Hospital of UPMC  UPMC Digestive Disorders Center  UPMC Digestive Disorders Center  UPMC Digestive Disorders Center  UPMC Digestive Disorders Center  Magee Women's Hospital of UPMC  UPMC Digestive Disorders Center  UPMC Digestive Disorders Center  UPMC Digestive Disorders Center  UPMC Digestive Disorders Center  UPMC Center for Liver Diseases  UPMC Digestive Disorders Center  UPMC Digestive Disorders Center  UPMC Digestive Disorders Center  UPMC Digestive Disorders Center  GI Surgical Oncology  UPMC Center for Liver Diseases  UPMC Digestive Disorders Center  UPMC Digestive Disorders Center  UPMC Digestive Disorders Center  Drs Narla & Nothmann  Westmoreland Gastroenterology Assoc  Ragunath Appasamy MD PhD  Pittsburgh Gastroenterology Associates  Parth Bharill MD  Pittsburgh Gastroenterology Associates  Pittsburgh Gastroenterology Associates  Pittsburgh Gastroenterology Associates  Pittsburgh Gastroenterology Associates  Pittsburgh Gastroenterology Associates  Tri-State Colorectal Associates  Allegheny Center for Digestive Health  Allegheny Center for Digestive Health  Allegheny Center for Digestive Health  Allegheny Center for Digestive Health  Allegheny Center for Digestive Health  Allegheny Center for Digestive Health  Allegheny Center for Digestive Health  Allegheny Center for Digestive Health  Allegheny Center for Digestive Health  Allegheny Center for Digestive Health  Allegheny Center for Digestive Health  Gastroenterology Associates of Pittsburgh  Gastroenterology Associates of Pittsburgh  Mitre Gastroenterology Associates  Mitre Gastroenterology Associates  Rahim Sotoodehfar MD  Southwest Gastroenterology Associates  Southwest Gastroenterology Associates  Southwest Gastroenterology Associates  Westmoreland Gastroenterology Assoc  Digestive Care Consultants PC  Associates in Gastroenterology  Associates in Gastroenterology  Associates in Gastroenterology  Center for Digestive Health  Center for Digestive Health  Center for Digestive Health  Center for Digestive Health  Center for Digestive Health  Center for Digestive Health  Center for Digestive Health  Allegheny Center for Digestive Health Penn Hills, PennsylvaniaUpcoming Local Events2012-06-02
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Flexible SigmoidoscopyRead the Flexible Sigmoidoscopy article » What is flexible sigmoidoscopy?Flexible sigmoidoscopy is a procedure that allows your doctor to examine the rectum and the lower (sigmoid) colon. The flexible sigmoidoscope is a flexible tube 60 cm long and about the thickness of your little finger. It is inserted gently into the anus and advanced slowly into the rectum and the lower colon. It is an accurate and simple method of investigating the cause of rectal bleeding, change in bowel habit, and rectal symptoms such as pain and diarrhea. Flexible sigmoidoscopy also is a part of colon screening and surveillance for colon cancer. For more, please read the Colon Screening and Surveillance article. What is the preparation for flexible sigmoidoscopy?In order to obtain accurate results, the rectum and the lower colon must be completely clean of stool. Your doctor will give you detailed instructions on how to cleanse your colon. In general, this requires the use of one or two enemas prior to the procedure and may also call for a laxative and some dietary modifications. Under special circumstances, such as the presence of significant diarrhea, the preparation may be waived. Do I continue my medications for flexible sigmoidoscopy?In general, you can continue to take your regular medicines. You should, however, inform your doctor of all the prescription and non-prescription medications you are taking as well as any allergies you may have. Certain drugs increase the risk of bleeding if biopsies are performed; these include aspirin, blood thinners such as warfarin (Coumadin), and NSAIDs such as Motrin and Advil. Your doctor may ask you to stop these medications for several days before the procedure. You should also alert your doctor if you have an artificial heart valve, hip or knee prosthesis, or have a disease of the heart valves such as mitral stenosis, aortic stenosis, or mitral regurgitation. Patients with these conditions may need a... Recommended Reading Related to Flexible SigmoidoscopyWhat is Ulcerative Colitis?Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammation of the large intestine (colon). The colon is the part of the digestive system where waste material is stored. The rectum is the end of the colon adjacent to the anus. In patients with ulcerative colitis, ulcers and inflammation of the inner lining of the colon lead to symptoms of abdominal pain, diarrhea, and rectal bleeding. Ulcerative colitis is closely related to another condition of inflammation of the intestines called Crohn's disease. Together, they are frequently referred to as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Ulcerative colitis and Crohn's diseases are chronic conditions that can last years to decades. They affect approximately 500,000 to 2 million people In the United States. Men and women are affected equally. They most commonly begin during adolescence and early adulthood, but they also can begin during childhood and later in life. ...Other Related Flexible Sigmoidoscopy ArticlesEmergency Contact for Penn Hills
Nearby Penn Hills Hospitals *HEALTHSOUTH Harmarville Rehabilitation Hospital UPMC St Margaret VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System LifeCare Hospitals of Pittsburgh Main Campus Transitional Infant Care Hospital The Children's Institute UPMC Shadyside Western Pennsylvania Hospital UPMC Braddock The Western Pennsylvania Hospital Forbes Regional Campus HEALTHSOUTH Hospital of Pittsburgh Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh UPMC Presbyterian Magee-Womens Hospital UPMC Mercy UPMC Southside Allegheny General Hospital Kindred Hospital Pittsburgh North Shore Alle-Kiski Medical Center Select Specialty Hospital McKeesport UPMC McKeesport UPMC Passavant Allegheny General Hospital Suburban Campus LifeCare Hospitals of Pittsburgh North Campus Jefferson Regional Medical Center Ohio Valley General Hospital St Clair Hospital Westmoreland Excela Health Hospital at Jeannette Heritage Valley Sewickley Hospital UPMC Passavant Cranberry Mayview State Hospital Southwood Psychiatric Hospital HEALTHSOUTH Rehabilitation Hospital of Sewickley Westmoreland Regional Hospital Kindred Hospital Pittsburgh Monongahela Valley Hospital Butler Memorial Hospital Canonsburg General Hospital ACMH Hospital Butler VA Medical Center Latrobe Area Hospital Select Specialty Hospital Greensburg Frick Hospital Kindred Hospital at Heritage Valley Medical Center of Beaver Torrance State Hospital The Washington Hospital Ellwood City Hospital Featured Articles*Provider Directory Terms of Use: The WebMD 'Provider Directory' is provided by WebMD for use by the general public as a quick reference of information about Providers. The Provider Directory is not intended as a tool for verifying the credentials, qualifications, or abilities of any Provider contained therein. Inclusion in the Provider Directory does not imply recommendation or endorsement nor does omission in the Provider Directory imply WebMD disapproval. |
Suggested Reading on Flexible Sigmoidoscopy by Our Doctors
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Abdominal Pain
- Abdominal pain is pain in the belly and can be acute or chronic. Causes include inflammation, distention of an organ, and loss of the blood supply to an organ. Abdominal pain can reflect a major problem with one of the organs in the abdomen such as the appendix, gallbladder, large and small intestine, pancreas, liver, colon, duodenum, and spleen.
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Rectal Bleeding (Blood in Stool, Hematochezia)
- Rectal bleeding (hematochezia) refers to the passage of bright red blood from the anus. Rectal bleeding may be moderate to severe and most bleeding comes from the colon, rectum, or anus. Common causes include anal fissures, hemorrhoids, diverticulitis, and more.
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Hemorrhoids
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Diverticulitis (Diverticulosis)
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Diarrhea
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Constipation
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Anal Itching
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Colon Cancer
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Anal Fissure
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Clostridium Difficile Colitis (Antibiotic-Associated Colitis, C. difficile colitis)
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Ulcerative Colitis
- Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammation of the colon. Symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhea, and rectal bleeding. Ulcerative colitis is closely related to Crohn's disease, and together they are referred to as inflammatory bowel disease. Treatment depends upon the type of ulcerative colitis diagnosed.
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Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
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Anal Cancer
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Colon Polyps
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Microscopic Colitis (Lymphocytic Colitis and Collagenous Colitis)
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Hirschsprung's Disease
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The Digestive System
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Melanosis Coli
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Colon Cancer Prevention
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Disease Prevention in Women
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Disease Prevention in Men
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