We have the options of performing an Endoscopy, Colonoscopy, Hemorrhoid treatment, Colon Cancer Screening, and Endoscopic Ultrasound to identify the appropriate treatment to protect your health. See our complete list below to learn more about the treatment options available from our participating physicians.
We perform the following procedures:
A capsule Endoscopy is used to check the small bowel. If both an Endoscopy and a colonoscopy are completed and they show no abnormalities but pain persists a capsule Endoscopy is ordered by the referring physician. The capsule is used to also detect not only abdominal pain but also sources of anemia and intestinal absorption problems. For this procedure, the day before a clear liquid diet is kept and a small bottle of Citroma is consumed to clean the bowels. The day of the procedure, a capsule with a built in camera is swallowed, this capsule follows the digestive tract and is excreted about 8 hours after it is swallowed. A monitor is worn the whole time to make sure the capsule is moving, and the patient can eat a small lunch that day to help monitor regular activities of the digestive tract. The capsule is disposable and will be passed.
This procedure is used to examine the appearance of colon using a thin, flexible viewing tube (colonoscope), which is attached to a viewing monitor. Colonoscopies are used when symptoms appear that suggest colon diseases. This procedure is your best alternative in order to evaluate the cause of blood in the stool, abdominal pain, diarrhea, change in bowel habits and abnormalities found during x-rays or CAT Scan. Some patients that have a family history of colon disease may be recommended to schedule regular colonoscopies because they are at a greater risk of developing polyps or colon cancer.
Before the procedure it is necessary that all fecal matter be removed from the colon. The presence of any fecal matter may affect the effectiveness and duration of the exam. Therefore, the patient is put on a liquid diet and given cleansing enemas before the procedure. Additional medication may be given to help empty the bowels.
In general, medications should not be discontinued during a colonoscopy; however, certain medications such as blood thinners may affect the effectiveness of the exam. Therefore, discuss any medications you are taking with your physician before the exam, in addition to making him/her aware of any allergies or pre-existing conditions. Also, let your physician know if you have been given antibiotics before any other medical or dental surgery.
During the procedure, the patient is given an IV and the heart blood pressure and oxygenation of blood are monitored. A sedative or other pain relief medications may also be administered. The patient may experience bloating, cramping and pressure during the procedure; yet, these effects will be minimal with the medications. The patient will then lie on their left side or back while the colonoscope is slowly inserted through the anus and into the colon. The lining and integrity of the colon is monitored as it is inserted and retracted. Abnormalities such as polyps and bleeding can be tended during this portion of the procedure. A biopsy (tissue sample) may also be taken to be analyzed for cancer. This procedure lasts about 15-60 mins.
The patient will be in observation for about 1-2 hours while the medication wear off. Afterwards, a driver may take the patient home. The patient should not drive or operate machinery for the entire day even if they feel alert, since sedatives have been administered. Side effects include cramping and gas; these will be relieved shortly after the procedure with the passing of gas. Diet and activities may be restricted if polyps were removed during biopsy.
Complications from colonoscopy are very rare. They include: bleeding at site of biopsy (which can be tended to without surgery or transfusion), reaction to sedatives, irritation of vein through which sedatives were administered, and complications resulting from pre-existing heart and lung diseases. If you experience any of the following side effects you should contact your physician immediately: severe abdominal pain, fever, chills or rectal bleeding.
This procedure is performed by a gastroenterologist and uses a small, flexible, viewing tube (endoscope), inserted through the mouth, to view the organs of the upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract including: the stomach, esophagus and duodenum (top portion of small intestine).
EGD is used to evaluate possible problems with the upper GI and evaluate possible symptoms such as abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, reflux, dysphagia and anemia. This procedure is more effective than a x-ray and has the added advantage of being able to perform biopsy (removal of tissue samples) and cytology (removal of cell samples). During EGD, the endoscope can also be used to perform other minor procedures such as stretching of narrowed areas (strictures), removal of polyps or accidentally swallowed objects, or treatment of GI bleeding.
Before the procedure, the throat may be sprayed with a numbing solution and a mild sedative and pain reliever may be administered. Discomfort is minimal and most patients sleep right through the procedure.
After the EGD is done, there is a possibility that you may feel a light sore throat or distention. These symptoms will go away after a few hours. You can resume your normal diet after a few hours as well. Once the medications have worn off, which takes a few hours, you will be allowed to go home with a driver. Because sedatives are administered, patients are not allowed to drive themselves home and are required to have driver. It is recommended that you do not drive or operate machinery for the rest of the day following this procedure.
Complications from EGD are rare. They include: irritation of vein used to administer sedatives or medication, reaction to sedative or medication administered, complications resulting from pre-existing heart/lung/liver conditions, bleeding at site or biopsy or poly removal (bleeding would be minimal and rarely requires surgery or transfusion), or perforation (which is also very rare, but would require surgery to repair). Be sure to discuss any pre-existing medical conditions or health concerns with your physician before the procedure in order to reduce complications.
While hemorrhoids are not a serious or life-threatening condition, having hemorrhoids can certainly affect one’s quality of life, as some hemorrhoids are extremely painful, uncomfortable, or prone to bleeding. Having hemorrhoids is a very common condition and is often resolved with over-the-counter treatments or prescriptions from a doctor. However, when hemorrhoids persist or are not relieved by home remedies or OTC medications, your physician may recommend a procedure known as hemorrhoid banding.
Hemorrhoid banding is an outpatient, nonsurgical procedure where healthcare providers use a suction device to remove internal hemorrhoids. A small rubber band is placed around the base of an internal hemorrhoid, cutting off its blood supply. Because there are no pain receptors in this area of the rectum, the procedure is virtually painless and takes only one to two minutes.
Hemorrhoids, also known as piles, are veins that have become swollen and inflamed in the rectal area. There are two types of hemorrhoids, internal (which affects the rectum), and external (which affects the anus). Hemorrhoids can also prolapse, and these may bulge outside of the anus, causing severe pain. Some patients may feel no symptoms at all when they have hemorrhoids, while others may have uncomfortable and painful symptoms that may require treatment. Common symptoms of hemorrhoids include:
Hemorrhoids are more common with age, and approximately more than half of those over the age of 50 will experience them, however, they can affect patients of all ages. It’s estimated that 1 in 20 people have hemorrhoids that present with symptoms.
Rectal bleeding is one of the primary symptoms of hemorrhoids, but it can also be a sign of a different and more serious issue. Rectal bleeding is also a symptom of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, as well as colorectal cancer. You should always consult your gastroenterologist for a checkup if you discover rectal bleeding or blood in the stool.
Any type of straining can cause hemorrhoids, putting pressure on the veins in your anus and rectum, which causes the area to become inflamed. Specific causes of hemorrhoids may be straining too hard to produce a bowel movement, significant weight gain or pregnancy, straining while weightlifting, and straining while lifting heavy objects. A low-fiber diet also contributes to the development of hemorrhoids and can also present in patients who have conditions that cause chronic constipation or diarrhea, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
The most common issue when hemorrhoids are left untreated is the continuation of discomfort, pain, and itching in the anal and rectal areas. However, other conditions can develop from nontreatment in some cases, such as blood clots (external hemorrhoids), anemia, or skin tags.
The first-line treatments for hemorrhoids are over-the-counter medications or home remedies. You can try adding more fiber into your diet (20 to 25g per day), soak the area in a sitz bath, drink more water, and use laxatives to soften stool. To relieve hemorrhoids, many patients also use OTC medications, such as witch hazel, lidocaine, and hydrocortisone.
If these attempts are unsuccessful within a week’s time, or you continue to have pain and quality of life issues, your doctor may recommend a different treatment. Nonsurgical treatments include:
While rare, surgical treatments for hemorrhoids include hemorrhoidectomy (surgical removal) and hemorrhoid stapling, often used to treat prolapsed hemorrhoids.
Hemorrhoid banding is often recommended by doctors, as it is the least invasive treatment and very effective. The procedure is simple—your physician will place a rubber band at the base of your internal hemorrhoid using a suction device. You won’t feel pain because the ablation blocks the pain receptors. The banding cuts off the blood circulation to the hemorrhoid. Within a few days, the hemorrhoid will shrink and fall off naturally.
Unlike other gastrointestinal procedures, there is no preparation required for hemorrhoid ablation. You don’t have to worry about fasting or bowel prep for the procedure, and because there is no anesthesia, you can drive yourself safely to and from this outpatient procedure. However, if you take medication, such as blood thinners, your healthcare provider should know this information before the procedure is performed.
Most patients feel no side effects after the procedure and can return to normal activities even on the day of treatment. You likely won’t notice when the hemorrhoid falls off after it has shrunk; your symptoms will simply go away. Some patients may feel a sense of being full or an ache in the rectum afterward, but this can be treated with OTC analgesics or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Ablation can only remove one hemorrhoid at a time, so those who have multiple hemorrhoids must schedule a CRH procedure for each one to remove them all.
It’s estimated that three out of four people will experience hemorrhoids at least once in their lifetime. Hemorrhoids can be caused by many different things, from pregnancy to straining during bowel movements. Many times, patients can use over-the-counter medications to treat hemorrhoids, but sometimes they’re not effective, and hemorrhoids may need medical intervention. Two of the most common treatments for hemorrhoid removal are hemorrhoid banding, which cuts off blood flow to the hemorrhoid, or infrared coagulation (IRC) therapy, which uses infrared light to shrink and shrivel hemorrhoids. The treatment method depends highly upon whether the hemorrhoids are external (around the anus) or internal (in the rectum). In rare cases, surgery is needed to remove hemorrhoids.
Hemorrhoid symptoms depend upon whether the hemorrhoid is internal or external. Often, patients don’t have many symptoms with internal hemorrhoids, except when making a bowel movement. Symptoms of external hemorrhoids include:
External hemorrhoids can be quite uncomfortable and can affect the quality of life.
Internal hemorrhoids may not be noticeable, but sometimes patients can experience the following while passing stool:
Anytime there is anal or rectal bleeding (you may notice it on tissue after wiping) or blood in the stool, you should consult your gastroenterologist. Bleeding is a common symptom of hemorrhoids, but it can also be indicative of more serious concerns, such as colorectal cancer. Also, if hemorrhoids don’t improve after a week or so of over-the-counter treatments or home remedies, you should see your physician.
Hemorrhoids have many causes, but they can also appear with no apparent cause. The greatest risk factor for hemorrhoids is age, as your chances of developing hemorrhoids are greater as you become older. Pregnancy is another risk factor for hemorrhoids and is a quite common and minor complication. Causes of hemorrhoids include:
You can help prevent hemorrhoids by being active, drinking plenty of fluids, taking fiber supplements, and eating a fiber-rich diet.
If either type of hemorrhoids are persistent and don’t respond to home care, your physician may recommend rubber band ligation, more commonly known as hemorrhoid banding. It is a minimally invasive outpatient procedure, and you can resume regular activities the same day (no anesthesia) or the next (with anesthesia).
In hemorrhoid banding, you’ll either be given sedatives or local anesthesia around the anus and rectum. If you have painful hemorrhoids or many that need banding, your gastroenterologist may recommend general anesthesia to ensure you don’t feel pain or discomfort.
During the procedure, the doctor inserts an anoscope into the rectum until it locates the hemorrhoid. This scope has a small light on the end of it to help the physician with the ligation. Afterward, a ligator is inserted into the anus and rectum, which ties rubber bands around the base of the hemorrhoid. Banding usually only takes a few minutes.
If your doctor has concerns you may have other gastrointestinal conditions, they may perform a colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy on the same day. A colonoscopy examines the entire large intestine (colon), while a sigmoidoscopy only examines the lower (sigmoid) region. Both are screening tests for colon cancer and can also diagnose other conditions, such as inflammatory bowel disorder (IBD), like Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis (UC).
After the procedure, you’ll need someone to drive you home if you’ve had twilight sedation or a deeper form of anesthesia. You can typically return to normal activities the next day. You may experience pain, bloating, or constipation after the procedure, which is completely normal. You may also see bleeding—if this persists for more than three days, consult your physician. After a few days, the hemorrhoid band will fall off by itself, and you may not even notice.
If your hemorrhoids are prolapsed (internal hemorrhoids that push out through the anus), or if you have internal hemorrhoids, your doctor may suggest infrared coagulation. This is a procedure where your physician inserts a small probe into your rectum that emits infrared light. This light applies thermal energy to the rectal tissue above the hemorrhoid. This action leads to scarring, which then shrinks the hemorrhoid.
After the procedure, you may feel slight discomfort or pain for a few days, or slight bleeding that will also disappear. If it does not, be sure to consult your physician.IRC therapy is a minimally invasive, safe procedure, but it does carry with it some risks. Urinary problems, infection, and heavy rectal bleeding are very rare but can occur.
Both ligation and IRC therapy are successful in most cases. However, some patients have recurrent hemorrhoids or the treatment was successful. In these cases, your gastroenterologist may suggest hemorrhoidectomy, a surgical removal of the hemorrhoid, or hemorrhoid stapling, which is a surgical procedure to block blood flow to the hemorrhoid.
This procedure is used to examine the rectum and lower colon (sigmoid colon). The viewing instrument, a sigmoidoscope, is 60 cm. long and the thickness of a finger. It is inserted through the anus and slowly worked through the rectum and into the lower colon. This procedure is a simple method for evaluating the cause of rectal bleeding, change in bowel habits, rectal pain and diarrhea. Sigmoidoscopy can also be used to perform biopsies (removal of tissue samples) for polyp removal and cancer screening.
Before the procedure, the bowel and rectum must be clear of fecal matter. Therefore, the physician may prescribe a liquid diet and a few cleansing enemas. A laxative may also be necessary to remove any additional fecal matter. You should inform your physician of any medications you are taking, and if you have heart valve abnormalities or hip/knee prostheses. In these cases, antibiotics may be needed before the procedure in order to avoid infection.
During the procedure, the patient will feel only mild discomfort including bloating, pressure and cramping. While lying on his/her left side, the sigmoidoscope will be inserted into the rectum and lower colon. A view of these organs will be shown on a TV monitor. The physician will carefully examine the lining of the colon and rectum when retracting the sigmoidoscope. The procedure lasts 5-15 mins.
Complication are very rare but include perforation of the colon lining, which requires surgery to repair, and bleeding from the site of biopsy. If you experience any of the following side effects you should contact your physician immediately: severe abdominal pain, fever, chills or rectal bleeding.
Enteroscopy is a procedure used to examine the small intestine (small bowel). A thin, flexible tube (endoscope) is inserted through the mouth or nose and into the upper gastrointestinal tract. During a double-balloon enteroscopy, balloons attached to the endoscope can be inflated to allow the doctor to view a large part of the small intestine.
If you need assistance in completing the forms or any other questions, do not hesitate to call as at 718-954-3535. We will gladly assist you.
As a matter of patient safety, Greater New York Endoscopy Surgical Center enforces the New York State Ambulatory Surgical Center requirement that all patients having a procedure in our facility have an escort, that is, a companion, family member or friend, to accompany you home following your procedure.
If you do not have someone to escort you after the procedure, please contact the Visiting Nurse Services of New York (888-943-8435) to arrange for a care partner to accompany you home from your procedure.
For additional information and to make arrangements for a care partner, you can visit the following website: www.partnersincareny.org. Or e-mail: par_intake@vnsny.org.
Please note that your procedure cannot be performed unless your escort is verified.
To prepare for the colonoscopy one must not eat for 24 hours prior to the procedure, and not drink 4 hours before the procedure, The day before the procedure you MUST drink a lot of clear liquids. The prep may get pricey based on the insurance, you can go with the generic which is the golytle prep. For both of these preps, when you go to the pharmacy you need to buy a bottle of citroma (lemon flavor) over the counter. The citroma is a lexative, which will help initiate the bowl movements before the prescribed prep.
Half Lightely is a half of the Golytle container and it also contains two pills. These pills follow the bottle of citroma, you take the pills 30 minutes apart from each other. After the pills you drink the half gallon. Golytle is a gallon which contains powder just like the half gallon of Half Lightley, you mix this powder with water to the fill line shake till the substance is dissolved and drink it slowly. The whole day on top of the prep, you are not eating and drinking clear liquids to keep yourself hydrated. The day of the exam, no liquids four hours before the procedure.
These procedures you prep for the same way no eating for 8 hours before the procedure and no drinking 4 hours before the procedure. For the Endoscopy and the Endoscopic Ultrasound, you sleep through the procedure, and the doctor inserts the scope to check for abnormalities. During the abdominal ultrasound, the radiologist checks the liver, gallbladder, kidneys, spleen, pancreas, etc.
Greater New York Endoscopy Surgical Center will provide you with a handbag to store your personal belongings during the procedure.
Please DO NOT wear jewelry, DO NOT bring laptops, DO NOT bring iPods or any other valuables when you come to the Center.
Please note that Greater New York Endoscopy Surgical Center assumes no responsibility for lost, stolen, or misplaced items.
An upper endoscopy or EGD (EsophagoGastroDuodenoscopy) involves the insertion of a lighted flexible tube, called an upper endoscope, into the mouth. The tube is guided by direct vision into the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum so that the lining of the upper gastrointestinal tract is visualized. Any area of the lining that appears abnormal may be biopsied; that is, a piece of tissue may be removed for analysis. Areas that are bleeding may be cauterized to stop active bleeding or to prevent future bleeding. An EGD is a generally safe procedure but carries several risks that include, but are not limited to, perforation and bleeding. Serious complications of EGD, such as perforation or bleeding, are rare, but may require hospitalization, blood transfusions, or surgery.
The Center charges for services will be stated on a uniform bill, which pertains to the cost of services during your stay. Please note that professional services provided by your physicians are billed separately.
These networks can be identified on your insurance card by their logo:
Please remember that regardless of your insurance plan, you must comply with your carrier’s requirements.
While Greater New York Endoscopy Surgical Center may be a participating provider (PAR), other services (such as anesthesiology or pathology) may not be. Always confirm with your insurance carrier whether a specific provider is within your network.
You can pay your bills securely and easily online using your credit card. Click the "Pay Your Bill Online" button below to view the portal in a new window. If you have any billing questions, feel free to contact us at 718-954-3535.
Allied Digestive Health has partnered with HealthMark Group to ensure the accurate and timely completion of medical record requests.
Once you enter your email, you will receive an email with HealthMark to log in (no username or password required!). Click on the “submit request” button and follow the prompts from there. You will receive an email as soon as your records are available for download.
Do I have to remember another username and password?
Nope! HealthMark’s Request Manager uses email verification and secure links to get you your records quickly, efficiently and securely – and without yet another username and password to remember!
How long does it take to process requests?
Most record requests are processed within 8 business hours. So, one or two business days after you submit your request, your records will be delivered electronically – right to your inbox.
Is there a cost associated with obtaining my medical records?
HealthMark Group fulfills all requests for personal copies at no charge. If paper copies are requested a fee to cover delivery costs will be charged and must be paid before the records will be shipped.
We provide you with the best care possible, in a warm and friendly environment.
About
For Your Visit
Greater New York Endoscopy Surgical Center
Phone: 718-954-3535
Fax: 718-954-3548
2211 Emmons Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11235
Mon-Sun: 7:00 AM – 4:30 PM
© All Rights Reserved
