Gastrointestinal disorders are very common in our modern, fast-paced world. Inflammatory bowel diseases, food intolerances, liver diseases, and, not least, colorectal cancer have been on the rise for years. Often, an unhealthy diet contributes to these conditions.
Gastroenterologists are specialists in the field of the gastrointestinal tract and are therefore the best people to consult for gastroenterological conditions.
What is gastroenterology?
Gastroenterology is a subspecialty of internal medicine. As such, it deals with the gastrointestinal tract and its associated organs (e.g., the pancreas and liver). One of the most important tasks of gastroenterologists is the diagnosis and treatment of tumors of the digestive tract. The most important diagnostic tools used in gastroenterology are ultrasound and gastroscopy or colonoscopy (endoscopy).
What conditions do gastroenterology specialists treat?
Gastroenterologists primarily diagnose and treat chronic inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, cancers of the digestive organs (e.g., colorectal cancer, stomach cancer), and gastrointestinal disorders (e.g., celiac disease, irritable bowel syndrome, diverticulitis).
In addition, gastroenterologists deal with
- liver diseases (e.g., cirrhosis, hepatitis),
- biliary tract diseases (e.g., gallstones, gallbladder cancer),
- pancreatic diseases (e.g., pancreatic cancer), and
- esophageal diseases.
What diagnostic procedures do gastroenterology specialists use?
In addition to ultrasound of the digestive organs, the main tool in gastroenterology is endoscopy (enteroscopy). Gastroenterology clinics offer procedures such as gastroscopy (examination of the stomach) and colonoscopy (examination of the colon), among others.
During gastroscopy (stomach endoscopy), the upper part of the digestive tract is examined using an endoscope @ bilderzwerg/AdobeStock
Colonoscopy is also a recommended screening test for colorectal cancer and should be performed regularly starting in middle age. In addition to these technical procedures, gastroenterologists also offer laboratory tests and functional tests. Probably the best-known laboratory test in gastroenterology is the stool test for occult (hidden) blood (“blood in the stool”) as part of colorectal cancer screening.
What does the range of therapeutic services provided by gastroenterologists look like?
Gastroenterologists and internists have various treatment methods at their disposal. For one thing, these internal medicine specialists can rely on effective medications, for example, to treat liver inflammation, hepatitis C, or kidney stones. Hepatitis C, in particular, was long considered difficult to treat because the therapy had very severe side effects, forcing many patients to discontinue treatment prematurely. Since 2014, however, modern medications have been available that have fewer side effects and, in the majority of cases, lead to a complete cure of hepatitis C—a major success for gastroenterology.
In addition, gastroenterologists perform endoscopic procedures to remove growths (known as polyps). Gastroenterologists also provide support for cancer treatment. To this end, internists, radiologists, and cancer specialists (oncologists) work closely together within the Department of Gastroenterology.
What qualifications do gastroenterology specialists have?
A trainee specialist in internal medicine with a focus on gastroenterology begins a 6-year residency program after completing medical school. A defined residency curriculum specifies the examination and treatment procedures that every future gastroenterologist must master.
To meet this high standard, future specialists in internal medicine must also demonstrate their skills in practice. At the end of the training period, the future internist specializing in gastroenterology is evaluated in an oral exam. There, they must demonstrate that they have a solid command of the necessary knowledge, experience, and skills required for the gastroenterology specialty and can apply them effectively.
