Digestive Health
When you experience digestive discomfort, turn to the board-certified gastroenterologists at UNC Lenoir Health Care for specialized care and treatment.
Your Digestive System
Your body’s digestive system—esophagus, stomach, gall bladder, liver, pancreas, large and small intestine, colon, rectum, and anus—takes in food, turns the food you eat into nutrients for your body, and gets rid of waste.
If you have heartburn, bloating, stomach pain, diarrhea, weight gain or loss, or a combination of these symptoms, you may have a digestive disorder.
Digestive Conditions We Treat
Find expert treatment for conditions affecting your digestive health, including:
Digestive Tests & Endoscopic Procedures
Your doctor may monitor and diagnose gastrointestinal (GI) conditions with an endoscopic procedure—which uses a long, flexible tube with a tiny camera and light at the tip to record pictures inside your body. Rely on UNC Lenoir for a wide range of diagnostic tests and endoscopic procedures, including:
- Colonoscopy – Looks at the inside of your large intestine for abnormalities
- Bravo capsule pH test – Studies the cause of your heartburn by attaching a small electrode containing a data recorder to your esophagus which transmits and records your pH levels
- Esophageal manometry (motility study) – Diagnoses swallowing problems by measuring how well your esophagus contracts and relaxes
- Endoscopic gastrostomy placement – Places a small feeding tube through the skin into your stomach
- ERCP (or endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography) – Checks the ducts that drain the liver, pancreas, gallbladder for blockage, stones, tumors, or abnormalities
- Flexible sigmoidoscopy – Assesses the lower part of your large intestine for polyps and tumors
- Paracentesis – Removes abdominal fluid for testing or as a treatment
- Small bowel capsule endoscopy – Examines and takes pictures of your small intestine using a miniature camera inside a capsule you swallow
- Upper GI endoscopy or EGD – Looks at the lining of your esophagus, stomach, and small intestine
Advanced Technology & Treatments
Depend on UNC Lenoir for advanced technology to treat Barrett’s esophagus or perform your ERCP.
Barrett’s Esophagus Treatment
If you need Barrett’s esophagus treatment, choose sophisticated Barrx™ radiofrequency ablation at UNC Lenoir. A minimally invasive procedure, Barrx removes the damaged esophagus tissue without harming the underlying healthy tissue.
Spyglass™ System for ERCP
When you have an ERCP at UNC Lenoir, your gastroenterologists will use the SpyGlass endoscope—a fiber-optic probe attached to a camera—to perform the procedure. You’ll benefit from the SpyGlass technology because it allows your doctor to use video to see the bile duct and identify blockages without surgery. Your doctor also can remove stones and place a stent during the procedure, if needed.
Compassionate, Skilled GI Care
Partner with the GI team at UNC Lenoir for the specialized care you need. You’ll appreciate the team’s efforts to respect your privacy and make you comfortable during your treatment or procedure. Feel confident you’ll receive safe, high-quality care from skilled gastroenterologists and experienced nurses certified in gastroenterology and endoscopy practices.
What to Expect During a Digestive Procedure
Arrive at the UNC Lenoir Gastroenterology Department at the arranged time. Your care team will prepare you for the procedure and give you a combination of medicines to help you feel relaxed and sleepy (sedated). Most GI endoscopic procedures take 15 to 30 minutes.
After your procedure, your recovery from sedation may take 30 minutes or more. Expect to leave UNC Lenoir at least one hour or more after your last dose of sedation, depending on your individual needs.
Colorectal Cancer Screenings
Connect with UNC Lenoir for cancer screening and prevention. Quarterly colorectal cancer screenings help raise cancer awareness in our community and detect signs of colorectal cancer before you notice symptoms.
You’ll receive a take-home stool test kit with instructions. Complete the test in the privacy of your home. Return the test to the UNC Lenoir Gastroenterology department. You’ll receive test results in the mail, one to keep and one to share with your physician.
