GI Insights

What do we need to know about esophageal perforations? Dr. Todd H. Baron from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine shares how he treats patients with esophageal perforations.

Diverticular disease is a common condition for which clinical therapies continue to evolve. So what has changed in the treatment paradigm? Joining Dr. Peter Buch to discuss everything from the role of colonoscopy, diverticular bleeding, long-term complications, and more is Dr. Brennan Spiegel, Director of Health Services Research at Cedars-Sinai and Professor of Medicine at UCLA.

For patients with Barrett’s esophagus with dysplasia, endoscopic surveillance is recommended to monitor the progression of the condition. But with the release of an updated guideline from the ACG, which of our patients are the right candidates for endoscopic treatment, and when should we be stopping surveillance? To discuss these and other key questions stemming from the updated guideline, Dr. Peter Buch is joined by Dr. Nicholas Shaheen, Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology and Chief of the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine.

Treating benign esophageal strictures can be challenging. How can we avoid mistakes and improve care? Dr. Peter Buch joins Dr. Todd Baron, Professor of Medicine and Director of Advanced Therapeutic Endoscopy at the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine to share common therapeutic mistakes and discuss how to treat esophageal strictures.

As rates of eosinophilic esophagitis continue to rise, how should we adjust our approach to management? To answer that question, Dr. Peter Buch is joined by Dr. Kathryn Peterson, an Associate Chief of the Division of Gastroenterology at the University of Utah Health.

Not only is nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) the most common chronic liver condition worldwide, but it’s also becoming the number one cause of liver transplantation beyond hepatitis C. And with its growing prevalence and burden having no end in sight, Dr. Charles Turck speaks with Dr. Kenneth Cusi about how we can better recognize the symptoms of NASH in high-risk patient groups.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) varies by geography, culture, and environment. So to learn more about IBS in the Asian population, Dr. Peter Buch welcomes Dr. Andrew Ong, who discusses the differences between IBS in the Asian population compared to North America and the importance of considering cultural differences when confronting IBS.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common form of chronic liver disease in the United States and affects about one-quarter of the population. So what are the risk factors for developing NAFLD, and how can we monitor its progression and manage our patients? Joining Dr. Peter Buch to answer these and other key questions is Dr. Naim Alkhouri, Chief of Transplant Hepatology and the Director of the Fatty Liver Program at Arizona Liver Health.

Per-oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) is a specialized endoscopic procedure to treat motility disorders of the esophagus. But what’s the procedure’s specific use in treating achalasia and other esophageal dysmotilities? To help answer that key question, Dr. Peter Buch is joined by Dr. Michel Kahaleh, Professor of Medicine and Director of the Pancreas Program in the Department of Medicine at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, to discuss which patients to consider for POEM and key limitations of the procedure that clinicians should be aware of.

Although the rate of females in gastroenterology has increased, gender disparities such as equal pay and leadership positions still persist. That’s why Drs. Aline Charabaty and Anita Afzali co-founded Scrubs & Heels, a leadership organization working to foster professional growth for women in gastroenterology. And now, they join Dr. Neil Nandi to discuss Scrubs & Heels’ mission and how we can close gender disparities and promote women in the field of gastroenterology.