Keith D. Lindor, MD, FACG, co-author of the new ACG Clinical Guideline on primary sclerosing cholangitis talks with AJG Co-Editor Dr. Paul Moayyedi about recommended diagnostic techniques, symptom management strategies, and the role of liver transplantation. Recommendations for colon and cholangiocarcinoma surveillance are also discussed. (18:18)

Ron Schey, MD, FACG, co-author of a recent article reviewing common bowel changes for women during pregnancy and in the postpartum period, talks with AJG Co-Editor Dr. William Chey about the temporary and possibly permanent changes to pelvic floor anatomy and physiology during pregnancy and how preexisting functional GI disorders may change during and after pregnancy. The prevalence and risk factors constipation and fecal incontinence are discussed, as well as the safety and effectiveness of various treatments for both conditions. (21:34)

Joseph A. Murray, MD, co-author of a recent article on the racial/ethnic trends in celiac disease and gluten-free diets, talks with AJG Co-Editor Dr. William Chey about the racial differences in the prevalence of celiac disease, the startling increase in this prevalence over the last 20 years, and how physicians should consider celiac disease in the context of related disorders for at-risk populations. Dr. Murray also discusses the puzzling recent trend of non-celiac patients adhering to a gluten-free diet for “health” reasons not supported by science. (24:57)

Mark E. Gerich, MD, co-author of a recent Red Section article on medical marijuana and digestive disorders, talks with AJG Co-Editor Dr. Paul Moayyedi about the controversies surrounding medical marijuana, the changing legal landscape, and the challenges of conducting clinical research on the drug’s effects. The specific pharmacological agents in marijuana and their potential treatment applications for a variety of digestive disease states and symptoms are also discussed. (18:32)

Philip Schoenfeld, MD, co-author of new Quality Indicators for Colonoscopy published on behalf of the ACG and ASGE, talks with AJG Co-Editor Dr. William D. Chey about the transition of screening colonoscopy practice from a fee-for-service model to a quality-based model. Dr. Schoenfeld explains pre-procedure, intra-procedure, and post-procedural quality indicators, performance targets for meeting those indicators, and impact of performance data on reimbursement rates from both CMS and third-party payers. Compliance dates and reporting systems such as GIQuIC are also discussed in this essential podcast for any practicing gastroenterologist. (30:11)

Adil Bharucha, MBBS, MD, co-author of the NIDDK state of the science summary on fecal incontience, talks with AJG Co-Editor Dr. William D. Chey about the highly common but often taboo topic of fecal incontinence. Dr. Bharucha discusses the personal and economic costs of a disorder affecting up to 15% of community-dwelling adults, as well as some key risk factors, diagnostic tests, and treatments. Clinicians will hear valuable advice on how to broach this topic with patients and how to provide meaningful care for a condition with significant emotional consequences. (26:35)

Dr. Loren Laine, MD, co-author of a new systematic review of the impact of bowel prep quality on early repeat colonoscopy and adenoma detection rate (ADR), talks with AJG Co-Editor Dr. William D. Chey about the real-world differences in ADR during colonoscopies with high, intermediate, and poor quality bowel preps. Meta-analysis of high-quality studies found no significant difference in ADR between high and intermediate quality preps, suggesting that intermediate preps might be “good enough.” Dr. Laine also discusses the impact of withdrawal time, documentation of prep quality, and recommendations for repeat colonoscopies after intermediate or poor quality preps. (20:55)

Drs. Eamonn Quigley and Paul Moayyedi, co-authors of the new ACG Monograph on the management of IBS and CIC, talk with AJG Co-Editor Dr. William D. Chey about the rapidly changing field of IBS and CIC treatments, the new relevance of products such as probiotics and antibiotics in altering the microbiome in IBS patients, recommendations for PEG and newer prosecretory agents in IBS-C and CIC, and the use of drugs such as alosetron and ondansetron for severe IBS-D. (22:44)

Joseph Ahn, MD, FACG, co-author of the new ACG Clinical Guideline on management of focal liver lesions talks with AJG Co-Editor Dr. William D. Chey about the epidemiology of focal liver lesions, use of imaging modalities and blood tests as diagnostic tools for this disorder, and treatment recommendations for different types of focal liver lesions, including hepatocellular carcinoma and adenoma, cholangiocarcinoma, hemangioma, nodular regenerative hyperplasia, and cystic liver lesions. (22:44)

Arnold Wald, MD, MACG, co-author of the new ACG Clinical Guideline on management of benign anorectal disorders, talks with AJG Co-Editor Dr. Paul Moayyedi about the definitions and treatment of dyssynergic defecation disorders, proctalgia syndromes, and fecal incontinence. They discuss the importance of determining the causes of these disorders before pursuing treatment, and the overall merits of conservative treatments over more invasive measures. (26:44)