Newswise — Red Bank, NJMarch 13, 2018 – Hackensack Meridian Health Riverview Medical Center located in Red Bank, today announced the launch of a Digestive Care Center to treat the full spectrum of digestive diseases. Located in the Ambulatory Care Center at Riverview Medical Center, the Digestive Care Center treats all aspects of digestive diseases and offers comprehensive and personalized care through highly skilled physicians and innovative technologies.

In addition to offering standard endoscopy and colonoscopy services, the Digestive Care Center also offers several more advanced diagnostic and treatment options, including pH and manometry testing, which can more accurately diagnose and treat gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

Esophageal pH testing is an outpatient procedure, which determines the amount of acid that flows into the esophagus from the stomach during a pre-determined amount of time. A wireless pH probe is temporarily attached to the wall of the esophagus and transmits data to a receiver worn around the patient’s waist. After the study, the data is downloaded and patterns and severity of acid reflux can be analyzed.

“Studies have shown that 10 to 20 percent of the population in the United States suffers from GERD,” says Douglas Weine, M.D., the medical director of the Ambulatory Care Center at Riverview Medical Center. “Many people ignore symptoms and treat them with over the counter medication, but it’s important to see a gastroenterologist to determine the best testing and treatment options.”

Esophageal motility testing, called esophageal manometry, is also now offered at the Digestive Care Center. Esophageal manometry is used to assess the function of the esophageal muscle and sphincter to diagnose a variety of disorders that can cause difficult or painful swallowing.

During an approximately 30 minute procedure, a thin flexible tube is passed through the nose into the stomach and the pressure in different parts of the esophagus can be measured. The test measures the function of the lower esophageal sphincter – the valve that prevents acid reflux from entering into the esophagus – determining whether or not a patient is able to normally move food to the stomach.

“It’s important to be mindful of how often you are getting heartburn,” says Howard Hampel, M.D., Ph.D., a gastroenterologist at Riverview Medical Center. “If it occurs only occasionally after too much of a certain type of food, an over the counter treatment is acceptable. If, however, you are noticing the symptoms after nearly every meal, it’s time to seek medical attention to diagnose and treat the condition at an early stage, which greatly improves prognosis.”

The center also offers a treatment for Barrett’s Esophagus, a serious complication from GERD that causes the lining of the esophagus to change. Called Barrx™, the procedure minimizes, or prevents abnormal cells from developing into a cancerous esophageal condition.

In addition to offering Barrx and pH and manometry and esophageal motility testing, the Digestive Care Center also offers the following procedures:

  • Colonoscopy
  • Endoscopic ultrasound
  • Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)
  • Barxx
  • Upper Endoscopy (EGD)
  • PEG replacement
  • Fecal transplant
  • Bronchoscopy/Navigational (3D) Bronchoscopy
  • Flexible Sigmoidoscopy
  • pH and manometry, Bravo pH and Digitrapper
  • Push enteroscopy
  • Small bowel capsule endoscopy
  • Cardiology procedures (TEE, Cardioversion)

All procedures take place in the Ambulatory Care Center at Riverview Medical Center, which in addition to the diagnosis and treatment of digestive disorders, also offers a full range of services to meet a variety of patient needs. Services include: pain management; laser eye procedures, including Lasik vision correction; minor surgery procedures; IV infusion; radiology special procedures; blood transfusion; and therapeutic phlebotomy services.

For more information about digestive health procedures, or services available within the Ambulatory Care Center at Riverview Medical Center, please call 732-530-2295.

About Hackensack Meridian Health Riverview Medical Center

Riverview Medical Center is a 468-bed not-for-profit community hospital located on the Navesink River in Red Bank, New Jersey. Riverview Medical Center provides health care programs and services in all major medical disciplines including: maternity, surgical services, emergency and critical cancer services. Riverview’s Cancer Care Center offers comprehensive cancer services close to home, while Riverview’s Jane H. Booker Women and Children’s Center combines expertise and convenience to address preventative health, diagnosis, treatment, and support for women of all ages. Riverview Medical Center is a designated Primary Stroke Center and has also maintained prestigious Magnet designation for Nursing Excellence since 1998. Riverview Medical Center is the only hospital in the region with the groundbreaking CyberKnife® system, offering new hope for patients with inaccessible or inoperable tumors. For more information about Riverview Medical Center and Hackensack Meridian Health, please call 1-800-560-9990 or visit www.riverviewmedicalcenter.com.

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