The Lower GI region of the body refers to the area that encompasses the large intestines including cecum, the ascending colon, transverse colon, descending colon, sigmoid colon and rectum.

When problems are persistent in this region of the body, the physician will begin with a visual examination of the lower intestinal tract which begins at the rectum and continues to the cecum. In order to perform this examination, the physician uses a lighted flexible video endoscope. The procedure is called a lower endoscopy or colonoscopy which can diagnose diseases of the lower digestive tract: the rectum, the sigmoid, descending, transverse and ascending colon.

The endoscope has a flexible bundle of glass-like fibers that collect a lighted image at one end called color chip and transfer the image to a processor which then displays the image on a large video screen.

Following is a list of some Lower GI digestive disorders:

• Acute or Chronic Abdominal Pain
• Blood In Stool
• Bloody Diarrhea
• Chronic Diarrhea
• General Weakness
• Loss of Consciousness
• Rectal Bleeding
• Right Upper Quandrant Pain
• Unexplained Weight Loss

Following is a list of some Lower GI gastrointestinal diseases or disorders treated at St. Vincent Medical Center:

• Anemia
• Abnormal Barium Enema Study
• Abnormal CAT-Scan /Ultrasound Study
• Colitis
• Colon Polyps
• Colon Tumor /Cancer
• Crohn's Disease
• Diverticulosis & Diverticulitis
• Gastro-Intestinal Bleeding
• Hemorrhoids, Bleeding Hemorrhoids
• Stricture
• Ulcerative Colitis, Ischemic Colitis

For more information about Hospital Services and for a Physician Referral, call (866) 478-8462.