Gastroenterology
Overview
Provides advanced medical and endoscopic care for diseases of the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, colon, liver, pancreas, and biliary tract. As a tertiary referral center, the department is particularly strong in therapeutic endoscopy, pancreatobiliary endoscopy, and minimally invasive treatment of early gastrointestinal neoplasia.
Key Strengths at Kobe University Hospital
- High-volume therapeutic endoscopy, including endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for early neoplasia of the esophagus, stomach, and colorectum.
- Recognized as a leading center for ESD, with referrals from many outside institutions.
- Specialized treatment for esophageal motility disorders, including peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) for achalasia and related disorders.
- Extensive expertise in pancreatobiliary endoscopy, including ERCP-based interventions, EUS, and EUS-guided tissue acquisition and drainage procedures.
- Comprehensive management of inflammatory bowel disease, chronic liver disease, pancreatobiliary disorders, and complex digestive disease in collaboration with surgery, oncology, radiology, and pathology.
Major Conditions / Services
- Early esophageal, gastric, duodenal, and colorectal neoplasia
- Achalasia and other esophageal motility disorders
- Pancreaticobiliary strictures, bile duct stones, cholangitis, pancreatic masses, and malignant biliary obstruction
- Inflammatory bowel disease, chronic liver disease, and gastrointestinal bleeding
Representative Procedures / Programs
- ESD
- POEM
- ERCP and therapeutic pancreatobiliary endoscopy
- EUS / EUS-FNA / EUS-guided interventions
- Liver biopsy and multidisciplinary hepatology care