Specialised Services
Expertise and experience ensure you receive the highest quality care.
Specialist Consultation
Doctors at East Melbourne Gastroenterology are all medical specialists in the fields of gastroenterology, hepatology (liver diseases) and endoscopy. Our gastroenterologist offer comprehensive assessment and treatment for a range of conditions affecting the gastrointestinal tract and liver including iron deficiency anaemia, irritable bowel syndrome and functional gastrointestinal disorders, inflammatory bowel disease, coeliac disease, gastro-oesophageal reflux disease and viral hepatitis. Bowel cancer screening with colonoscopy is also performed.
A referral from your general practitioner (GP) is required for a consultation.
Complete Inflammatory Bowel Disease Care
Our gastroenterologists are active clinicians and researchers in the management of inflammatory bowel disease conditions (Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis). They all work as part of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease unit at St Vincent’s Hospital.
We can offer a range of established and emerging treatments for these conditions as well as access to clinical drug trials. We are pleased to be able to offer coordinated treatment with all PBS listed biological drugs for inflammatory Bowel Disease including Infliximab, Adalimumab and Vedolizumab.
Our doctors have established relationships with multidisciplinary treatment teams for inflammatory bowel disease at both St Vincent’s Public and Private Hospitals offering patients world class care and treatment.
Colonoscopy
This procedure involves a colonoscope – a long, thin flexible tube with a ‘video camera’ at the tip – gently passed into the rectum and through the colon, allowing the doctor to inspect the entire large intestine (colon) and also perform specialised procedures such as biopsies and removal of polyps.
Colonoscopy is used to investigate many different conditions including abdominal pain, altered bowel habit, rectal bleeding, weight loss and a low blood count. It is also frequently done in asymptomatic patients to screen for pre-cancerous conditions such as polyps, and remove them if present. Having a colonoscopy dramatically reduces your future risk of bowel cancer. In order for your doctor to get the best possible view and make the colonoscopy easier, your large bowel needs to be cleansed of all faecal material, so strictly following the bowel preparation instructions is important.
Referrals for a colonoscopy can be made through your GP.
Gastroscopy
This procedure involves an endoscope – a long, thin flexible tube with a ‘video camera’ at the tip – being passed through the mouth into the oesophagus, stomach and first part of the small bowel.
It allows the doctor to inspect these areas and perform specialised procedures such as biopsies. Gastroscopy is usually performed to evaluate symptoms of indigestion, reflux, upper abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting or difficulty swallowing. It is also the best test for both finding and treating any bleeding from the upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Gastroscopy is also used to treat conditions of the upper GI tract, for example, your doctor might stretch a narrowed area, or remove polyps from the upper GI tract.
Referrals for a gastroscopy can be made through your GP.
Open Access Endoscopy
At East Melbourne Gastroenteorology, we believe in engaging and working alongside General Practitioners.
Our gastroenterologists are able to provide Gastroscopy and Colonoscopy services without necessarily having the need to see a gastroenterologist prior to their procedure. This depends on whether there are any concerns surrounding other health issues such as diabetes, blood thinning medications or heart failure with a simple call to our staff prior to the booking to clarify whether this is possible.
Open access endoscopy (gastroscopy or colonoscopy) is available at St Vincent’s Private Hospital (Dr William Connell and Dr John Ding), and at Jolimont Endoscopy (Dr John Ding).
A referral from your GP is required.
Intestinal Ultrasound
East Melbourne Gastroenteorology performs intestinal ultrasound for non-invasive, convenient and accurate assessment of disease activity in inflammatory bowel disease. These scans are performed at St Vincent’s Public Hospital. Patient require a referral from their GP or specialist.