Achalasia is a motility disorder that affects muscle function in the esophagus. Normally when a person swallows, there is a reflex to immediately relax the lower esophageal sphincter (the valve at the bottom of the esophagus that opens so contents can drain into the stomach) as the muscles in the esophagus begin to squeeze food down from the top.
Balloon-assisted endoscopy is a visual examination of the small bowel using an instrument called an endoscope: a lighted, flexible tube, about the thickness of a finger.
The multidisciplinary team at the University of Michigan Esophageal Disorders Program has wide and deep expertise in diagnosing and treating Barrett’s esophagus.
At the Small Bowel Program, part of the University of Michigan’s Gastroenterology Program, our multidisciplinary team provides minimally invasive state of the art treatments not available widely for diagnosing and treating bleeding in the small bowel, performed by experienced gastroenterologists with high volumes in these procedures.
A capsule endoscopy–using a pill-sized camera to visually examine the midsection of the gastrointestinal tract, which includes portions of the small intestine–are performed by doctors from the Gastroenterology Program at the University of Michigan, ranked best in the state by U.S. News & World Report.
Colon and rectal polyps occur in about 25 percent of men and women ages 50 and older. Not all polyps will turn into cancer, and it may take many years for a polyp to become cancerous. Risk factors include a family history of polyps or colon cancer; an inflammatory bowel disease, such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease; a high-fat, low-fiber diet; tobacco and alcohol use; little exercise; and obesity.
Colon cancer screening saves lives, and the board-certified gastroenterologists at the University of Michigan have performed more than 100,000 colonoscopies in the last 10 years, with U.S. News and World Report ranking our digestive disorders physicians group as the top program in the state of Michigan.
Digestive health at the University of Michigan Health System diagnoses and treats diseases of the gastrointestinal system of the body, including irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn's Disease, GERD, liver disease and constipation.
Dysphagia means difficulty swallowing food or liquids. There are many causes, including problems in the coordination or strength of the swallowing muscles, inflammatory conditions, benign narrowings of the esophagus called strictures, and cancers. At the University of Michigan’s Esophageal Disorders Program, our multidisciplinary team has broad experience diagnosis and treating dysphagia, with comprehensive diagnostic testing and a robust clinical research program.
Eosinophilic esophagitis, or EoE, is inflammation of the esophagus (swallowing tube) that is related to allergies. Eosinophils are a type of white blood cell that is involved in allergic reactions. At the University of Michigan’s Esophageal Disorders Program, our multidisciplinary team has broad experience diagnosing and treating eosinophilic esophagitis, through diagnostic testing, therapies that are not widely available and a dedicated nutritionist with expertise in eliminating trigger foods.
The Gastroenterology Division at the University of Michigan provides specialized diagnostic and therapeutic procedures and services to diagnose and treat patients with a wide variety of gastrointestinal disorders. These services are all provided through the multidisciplinary Medical Procedures Unit, which is located in University Hospital. We perform approximately 15,000 procedures per year.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a digestive problem where there is too much backflow of the stomach’s contents into the esophagus.
Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT) is a genetic disorder that affects about one in 5,000 people and commonly causes nosebleeds, with more frequent nosebleeds typically starting after about age 12. Patients with HHT have a tendency to form blood vessels that are abnormal, fragile, and bleed more easily. Michigan Medicine has a multidisciplinary team of physicians to treat HHT, including specialists in otolaryngology (for nosebleeds), pulmonary diseases, interventional radiology, gastroenterology, neurosurgery, liver diseases, cardiology, heart failure, dermatology, radiation oncology, hematology-oncology and associated pediatric subspecialties.
There are many different specialists who treat patients with HHT. Many patients will eventually see two or more types of specialists, especially later in adulthood. Specialists who treat HHT include otolaryngologists (ear, nose & throat doctors), interventional radiologists (to treat AVMs), hematologists (to help manage anemia), and more.
Make an appointment with an GI or liver specialist (gastroenterologist or hepatologist) at the University of Michigan or call one of our special clinic phone numbers. Call 1-888-229-7408 to get answers to your questions.
Your gastrointestinal medical care team will depend upon the specific GI condition you are being treated for and often includes doctors with different medical specialties along with other health professionals collaborating to give you the best care possible. This is called a multidisciplinary approach, and at Michigan Medicine, our goal is always to coordinate this multidisciplinary care in a way that is convenient and efficient for you.
At the Small Bowel Program, part of the University of Michigan’s Gastroenterology Division, our multidisciplinary team provides minimally invasive treatments not available widely for diagnosing and treating polyps, tumors, and malabsorptive diseases in the small bowel, performed by experienced gastroenterologists with high volumes in these procedures.
Gastroenterology specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal system of the body, which includes the esophagus, stomach, intestines, liver, gall bladder, pancreas, colon and rectum.
Your digestive system is made up of a series of organs that allows your body to get the nutrients and energy it needs from the food we eat. As food travels through the digestive system it is broken down, sorted, and reprocessed before being circulated around the body to nourish and replace cells and supply energy to our muscles. This page includes an animation of the digestive process as well as a description of the various digestive organs and diseases related to them that we treat at the University of Michigan.
