Mercy open new Endoscopy Suite to promote and practice gastrointestinal health

Mercy Medical Center has announced the opening of a new, state-of-the-art Endoscopy Suite to promote and practice gastrointestinal health. The unique, high-tech suite is located on the 2nd floor of Mercy's Mary Catherine Bunting Center at 345 St. Paul Place. Bunting Endoscopy will be under the direction of Dr. Paul J. Thuluvath, Medical Director of The Melissa L. Posner Institute for Digestive Health & Liver Disease at Mercy.

The new 17,830 square foot facility will feature six procedure rooms and 20 patient prep and PACU (post-anesthesia care unit, patient recovery area) rooms. All procedure rooms come equipped with fluoroscopy (X-ray). One room will feature a fixed imaging machine for the benefit of billiary and pancreatic cases.

"The new Bunting Endoscopy Suite represents an important milestone in the development of one of our flagship clinical programs," said Thomas R. Mullen, President & CEO of Mercy Health Services. "We are excited to deliver a truly patient-centered experience that offers easier access to both leading physicians and technology. At the same time, this major investment in patient care speaks to our ongoing commitment to providing high-quality, high-value health services to the residents of Baltimore and Maryland."

With physicians among the best GI doctors and surgeons in Baltimore and the mid-Atlantic region, Mercy's Institute for Digestive Health & Liver Disease is known for top doctors and renowned GI specialists with world-class expertise, The Institute offers patients comprehensive diagnosis, treatment and care for:
•Liver and Hepatobiliary Diseases
•Inflammatory Bowel and Colorectal Diseases
•Pancreatic Care
•Heartburn and Reflux Disease
•Stomach & Intestinal Disorders

According to Dr. Thuluvath, the new Endoscopy Suite will perform upwards of 10,000 cases per year. It will offer a full range of endoscopy services including EGD (Esophagogastroduodenoscopy, a test to examine the lining of the esophagus, stomach, and first part of the small intestine), colonoscopy, ERCP (endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, a procedure for examining the bile ducts), EUS (endoscopic ultrasound), liver biopsy, paracentesis (perforation of a body cavity or cyst with a hollow needle to remove fluid or gas), and more.

Bunting Endoscopy will feature SpyGlass, a visual evaluation tool that allows physicians to better view biopsy sites in the bile ducts for more precise results. In addition, the suite offers Image Stream technology which provides real-time imaging and improves the effectiveness of endoscopic procedures.

Other features include endoscopic suturing, Double Balloon Enteroscopy for superior assessment of patient gastrointestinal bleeding and anemia; a colostomy-saving procedure for removal of flat polyps; HET Bipolar Hemorrhoid Treatment for painless ligation of hemorrhoids; HALO treatment for burning away pre-cancerous esophageal cells; Fecal Matter Transplants for treating C-diff infected patients and diagnosis of pancreatic tumors, etc.