A dedicated interventional gastroenterology service is now being provided at Our Lady of Lourdes (OLOL), Hospital which includes:
A: Upper GI procedures-
1. OGD diagnostic
2.Oesophagealdilatation
3. Oesophageal Stenting
4. Oesophageal Varix Banding
5. Oesophageal cancer staging with EUS (Beaumont)
6. Pyloric stenting
7. Duodenal stenting
8. Push Enteroscopy for small bowel examination
9. Stomach cancer staging with EUS
10. Gastric varix bleeding treatment with Glue
11. Difficult polypectomies in stomach including ENDO MUOSAL RESECRTION (EMR)
B: Lower GI
1. Diagnostic colonoscopies
2. Large polyp removals endoscopically
3. EMR
4. Colonic stenting
5. Crohn's Stricture dilatation
C: Biliary work done in Beaumont by gastroenterologists from OLOL
1. ERCP - diagnostic and therapeutic
2. EUS diagnostic
3. EUS FNA and FNB for cancer tissue sampling
D: Haemochromatosis service at Louth County Hospital (LCH), Dundalk
Currently a very successful venesection department is run in the Louth Meath Hospital group by the gastroenterologists with a core patient population of around 680 getting regular phlebotomies.
E: An Infusion Department at LCH
Under GASTRO for biologic infusions for all the colitics
F: Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Service
Currently a cohort of around 1100 patients are actively managed in OLOL by gastroenterology. Patients get all forms of therapies for this rather complex disease and are normally not referred to any Dublin hospitals for any extra care since it is now available to them locally. Recently the addition of IBD specialist nurse service was of extra benefit to the already high quality service that is being provided.
G: Gastroenterology Consult service
A dedicated Gastroenterology and hepatology consult service has been running very successfully for the last 4 years at OLOL where gastroenterology related consults are regularly seen sent from physicians, surgeons, gynaecology, ICU and other departments. On an average 10-12 consults are seen on a weekly basis (audit from 2011-2012). ERCP and EUS requests are fast tracked if needed at Beaumont after consults.
H:JAG Accreditation of LCH Endoscopy Unit and Colorectal Cancer Screening Site
With the help of all the staff at LCH, the funding from the management and the effort from the gastroenterologists this was achieved recently. LCH Endoscopy unit was adjudged as the BEST ENDOSCOPY UNIT IN IRELAND by the team from UK.
I: Dedicated Gastroenterology OPD (three)
