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GI & Digestive Disorders

Sioux City’s Most Experienced GI Team

St. Luke's Digestive Center Virtual TourWith 450 years of combined experience, St. Luke’s GI team is nationally recognized for superior care in digestive disorders. St. Luke’s is patients’ preferred choice for preventive procedures like colonoscopies with gastroenterologists and nurses specially trained in GI care.

St. Luke’s Center for Digestive Disorders is designed to balance the most state-of-the-art technology with patient comfort:

  • Eight private pre-procedure rooms with private bathrooms
  • Five endoscopy labs
  • Twelve-bed recovery area with private bathrooms
  • After-care meeting room

Why Do I Need GI Care?

Your digestive tract needs just as much care as the rest of you, and preventive screenings at St. Luke’s can be essential in maintaining its health. Most of these screenings require a physician referral. At age 50, you should have your first colonoscopy. St. Luke’s also performs ERCP, EGD and PEG feeding tube procedures. Note: physician referral is required to schedule all procedures.

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Colonoscopy

Colorectal cancer (cancer in the colon or rectum) rarely causes symptoms in its early stages and is a leading cause of death from cancer in the United States. But it doesn't have to be. When this cancer is found and removed early, the chances of a full recovery are very good. A colonoscopy is the best test for finding and removing cancer polyps, and at age 50 it’s recommended that all adults have one.

What should I expect during a colonoscopy?

St. Lukes GI E-mail list First, know that your colonoscopy will have very little discomfort. The day of the procedure, you’ll be given a sedative, so you’ll remain conscious but will not feel the procedure. During the colonoscopy, a long, flexible, lighted tube called a colonscope is gently inserted into the rectum and guided through the entire colon. Images of the colon are viewed on a video screen. Any polyps that are found are removed and sent to a lab for testing. If a polyp can't be removed, a sample of tissue is taken and the polyp is removed later during surgery. Virtual colonoscopies are also available through St. Luke's Executive Wellness.

ERCP (Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio Pancreatography)

ERCP has a long name but a simple purpose. The procedure is a visual examination of the ducts leading to your pancreas and gallbladder to diagnose diseases of the pancreas, bile ducts, liver and gallbladder. The procedure is done with a long, flexible, lighted tube called an endoscope along with a special dye so that x-rays can be taken. This allows the doctor to see any blockages or gallstones that may be present.

EGD (Esophagogastroduodenscopy)

During an EGD, your doctor will examine the esophagus, stomach and the first part of the small intestine to remove foreign bodies and look at the esophagus and stomach for ulcers, tumors, gastritis and causes of bleeding and pain. An EGD is a low risk procedure when performed by a specially trained and experienced doctor, like those at St. Luke’s.

PEG Feeding Tube

Nutrition is as important to our health as the air we breathe. Some patients can't eat and drink properly after suffering from a stroke, cancer, surgery or other conditions and must be fed with a feeding tube. One type is a PEG (percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy) tube, which goes into the stomach directly through the skin. This procedure is low risk when performed by a specially trained gastroenterologist, and patients can typically go home the same day.

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GI & Digestive Disorders