Digestive Health Institute (Gastroenterology)

 

Gastrointestinal problems affect more than a million people in the U.S. every year. Selecting the physicians and practice that provide the best care for your unique needs is extremely important. The team at the Cooper Digestive Health Institute provides the latest diagnostic procedures and treatment options for patients with disorders of the pancreas, liver, gallbladder, esophagus, stomach, small intestine and colon. WebMD Award

Unparalleled GI Expertise

The Digestive Health Institute at Cooper is home to several innovative centers for the diagnosis, care and treatment of GI conditions, including Barrett’s esophagus, gastrointestinal bleeding and complex colon polyps. 
The specialists in the Barrett’s Esophagus Center are pioneers in radiofrequency ablation. The experts at DHI are one of the highest volume centers in the country and are among the few providers offering cryotherapy as a treatment option. 

At the GI Bleeding Center, our world-renown experts provide patients with traditional colonoscopy and endoscopy procedures and are among the leaders in their field in therapeutic endoscopic approaches to access the small intestine. We use the double balloon enteroscopy procedure to examine the entire small intestine to find the source of a GI bleed. In fact, the Cooper GI Bleeding Center is the only center in South Jersey that uses double balloon technology.

At the Colon Polyp Center at Cooper, our nationally renowned experts use a combination of unparalleled expertise, state-of-the-art technologies, and innovative treatment approaches that allow most patients to avoid surgery for complex polyps.

Gastrointestinal Disorders We Treat

Our experienced team of digestive health experts treats a wide range of gastric and gastrointestinal disorders, including:

  • Barrett’s esophagus, a precancerous condition caused by frequent or untreated heartburn, acid reflux, or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
  • Celiac disease
  • Colon polyps, including complex polyps
  • Constipation
  • Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis (IBD)
  • Diarrhea 
  • Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing)
  • Gallstones
  • Gastrointestinal bleeding, or GI bleeding of obscure origin
  • Gastrointestinal cancers
  • Gastroparesis
  • GERD (reflux)/heartburn
  • Esophageal and gastric motility disorders
  • Hepatitis
  • Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
    • Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO)
    • Helicobacter pylori
  • Obesity
  • Pancreatitis (acute and chronic)
  • Peptic ulcer diseases

Why Choose Cooper for Digestive Disease Care

The Cooper Digestive Health Institute provides you with superior care with unique advantages:

  • Nationally recognized physician experts. Our physicians offer a level of experience and clinical excellence in gastroenterology that is unmatched in South Jersey.
  • Support staff with special training in gastroenterology. An all-RN staff of specially trained nurses provides patients with a superior level of care.
  • State-of-the-art endoscopy center with advanced technology. We have five advanced procedure rooms, 16 pre-operative and post-operative recovery areas, and 10 patient exam rooms as well as state-of-the-art imaging technology with the latest diagnostic and treatment options.
  • Attention to both general and complex gastrointestinal (GI) problems. We understand that GI problems of any kind can impact an individual’s quality of life. Our physicians approach each individual need, whether general or complex, with the same attention to detail and resolution.
  • World-class care in your neighborhood. Services are available at our convenient outpatient locations throughout South Jersey and the Delaware Valley. Our center has been awarded for excellence by The American Society for Gastroenterology Endoscopy, as one of the few in the South Jersey area for our cleanliness, attention to detail, and quality outcomes.
  • Patient- and family-centered care. We provide the ultimate patient-centered care, featuring comfortably appointed waiting areas with complimentary computer kiosks for family and friends and “one-stop” for patients undergoing procedures with the innovative stretcher chair that shifts from chair-to-bed-to-cart to move patient seamlessly between pre-op, procedure, and recovery areas.

Gastrointestinal Procedures and Testing

Our resources include the latest advances in the diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal disorders, including minimally invasive endoscopic equipment. With these minimally invasive capabilities, physicians insert tubes through the mouth, nose, or rectum to examine and treat problems of the digestive tract. Procedures and diagnostic testing performed by our physicians includes:

  • Colonoscopy  (screening, polyp removal)
  • Upper GI endoscopy
  • Capsule endoscopy (pill cam), a pill with a camera that is swallowed to help visualize areas of the small intestine
  • Endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) to remove large colon polyps
  • Radiofrequency ablation to destroy precancerous tissue in the esophagus that occurs with Barrett’s esophagus
  • Cryotherapy to destroy precancerous tissue in the esophagus that occurs with Barrett’s esophagus
  • Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) to evaluate and treat diseases of the liver, bile ducts and pancreas
  • Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) to remove and potentially cure early GI cancers
  • Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) to obtain ultrasound images and biopsies of abnormal finding within the digestive tract and surrounding tissues and organs 
  • Esophageal motility study to assess for swallowing disorders using high-resolution manometry and EndoFLIP
  • EUS-guided liver biopsy
  • Fibroscan
  • Hydrogen Breath Testing
  • Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) to treat esophageal and gastric motility disorders, as well as Zenker's diverticulum
  • Placement of feeding tube (PEG)
  • Single and double-balloon enteroscopy
  • pH testing to assess for GERD
  • Endoscopic suturing
  • Enteral stents to relieve obstruction in the GI tract
  • Esophagectomy, a minimally invasive surgical procedure to treat Barrett’s esophagus

Cooper Digestive Health Institute in Mount Laurel

The Cooper Digestive Health Institute of Mount Laurel has been recognized by the American Society for Gastroenterology Endoscopy with an Endoscopic Unit Recognition Program Certificate of Excellence Award. The center provides the ultimate patient-centered care, featuring comfortably appointed waiting areas with complimentary computer kiosks for family and friends and “one-stop” for patients undergoing procedures.

In Partnership with MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper 

Cooper University physician gastroenterologists are on staff at MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper. When cancer is detected, our physicians become part of a multifaceted team approach to care and treatment. This may include a combination of surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy.

Each patient has an entire team of doctors and other medical professionals working on his or her behalf. This includes:

  • Medical Oncology: The medical oncologists at MD Anderson at Cooper offer innovative chemotherapy regimens, novel targeted therapies and a variety of groundbreaking clinical trials to patients with gastrointestinal cancers.
  • Surgery: Our nationally respected surgeons have the technical skill and expertise to treat the most complex cancers. Experienced in minimally invasive surgeries, they work closely with their colleagues in medical and radiation oncology to ensure that patients receive the optimal treatment and the best chance of a successful recovery.

For an appointment with a Cooper digestive health expert, please call 800.8.COOPER (800.826.6737).