Biliary and Pancreatic Disorders
The Biliary and Pancreatic Disorders practice offers diagnosis and treatment for various disorders of the gallbladder, pancreas, and bile ducts. Bile, a substance that aids the digestion and absorption of fats, is carried from the liver by the bile ducts. The gallbladder stores the bile between meals and empties it back into the bile duct, once food is consumed. Another duct allows digestive juices from the pancreas to mix with food in the intestine. Problems in these organs and passageways include infection, blockages, stones, and cancer.
Physicians at BMC offer a procedure known as endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) to diagnose and sometimes treat these problems. ERCP involves placing an endoscope into the mouth through the esophagus and stomach into the duodenum (part of the small intestine). Sometimes, the problem can be identified and solved in one procedure. If not, te procedure is often followed by a laparoscopic (minimally invasive) surgical procedure to remove the gallbladder.
The Biliary and Pancreatic Disorders Practice provides care to patients with the following conditions:
- Bile duct injuries or strictures
- Gallbladder disease
- Pancreatic and biliary tumors