Gastroenterology

Telehealth Appointments Now Available

CSG specialists are now offering secure and convenient appointments via telehealth. This means that your child can get the care they need from the CSG physician and advanced practice provider you trust … all from the safety and comfort of your home. Read more about how the process works here. To schedule a telehealth appointment, call (757) 668-7240.

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About Us

Our physicians are trained in the full spectrum of gastrointestinal disease, and all have experience caring for liver and small bowel transplantation patients.

Common Conditions We Treat:

• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Eosinophilic disorders
• Gastroesophageal reflux
• Inflammatory bowel diseases, including Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s Disease
• Liver, gall bladder and pancreatic disorders
• Recurrent abdominal pain
• Nutritional disorders

Services

We tailor each child’s treatment plan according to their unique needs. Among the services we may recommend for your child are:

• Breath hydrogen analysis
• Continuous esophageal pH monitoring (both catheter and wireless) and impedance monitoring
• Endoscopic evaluation of the upper and lower intestinal tracts
• Liver biopsy
• Polyp and foreign body removal
• Sclerotherapy/banding/cautery
• Motility testing

 

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We also have a Gastroenterology Motility Program!

Our comprehensive team of pediatric experts collaborates with patients, families, and referring physicians to diagnose and treat problems with digestive motility in our Gastroenterology Motility Program.

What is Digestive Motility?

Digestive motility refers to the movement of food and liquid from the mouth through the esophagus to the stomach, then the intestines, and finally out of the body as waste. This occurs when muscles and nerves work together to create wave-like contractions in the gut called peristalsis. Any abnormality that affects the muscles or nerves in the digestive system can interrupt this delicate progression and cause serious programs.
Symptoms of motility disorders may include:

• Difficulty swallowing
• Gagging
• Frequent vomiting
• Aspiration
• Pneumonia
• Chronic cough
• Heartburn
• Unexplained chest pain
• Weight loss
• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Fecal incontinence

Advanced Diagnostics

Getting an accurate diagnosis is the first step toward improving life for children with motility issues. CHKD is one of the few hospitals in the nation to offer state-of-the-art high resolution three-dimensional (3D) manometry studies, which can measure muscle pressure in different areas of the digestive system, from the esophagus to the anus.

Some children with motility disorders have complex medical needs and/or conditions, such as spina bifida, cerebral palsy, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Down Syndrome, or muscular dystrophy. The CSG motility team has extensive experience working with children of every age and developmental level and coordinating care with specialists from other disciplines, so patients, parents, and the extended medical team can all be working on the same goals.

Conditions we diagnoses and treat include (but are not limited to):

• Achalasia
• Anorectal malformations
• Dysphagia
• Gastrointestinal Reflux Disease
• Gastroparesis
• Intestinal pseudo-obstruction
• Intractable constipation

Treatment

Treatment depends upon the nature and location of the disorder. In some cases, we manage symptoms with medication such as pyloric and anal Botox. Other conditions, such as fecal incontinence, respond well to biofeedback training. In rare cases, surgery may be required.

Our patients benefit from the comprehensive range of medical and support services available only at a freestanding children’s hospital. Our team will work with patients and families to make children comfortable, ease fears, and help them understand conditions and treatments.

Our Doctors

The CSG doctors who specialize in our Gastroenterology Motility program are:

• Orhan Atay, MD
• Sameer Lapsia, MD

Contact Info:

(757) 668-7240

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Locations: