Here are some insightful articles to help you make an informed decision when choosing your healthcare provider. Stay prepared and up to date with the latest technologies and procedures.
Surgical Mesh – know the facts. For centuries surgeons have repaired damaged tissue with sutures of one kind or another. Sutures are, along with scalpels, probably the most fundamental tools of the trade. Suture materials have evolved dramatically, ranging from natural fibres to sophisticated synthetic polymers designed for specific surgical needs. Their selection is guided ...
Many patients facing an operation to remove the gallbladder wonder if their digestive system will be able to manage without it, often saying to me, “But surely we have one for a good reason?” They are quite right – the gallbladder is indeed important in the digestive process, but will they miss it once it ...
Many patients are curious about polyps in the bowel and like to understand a bit more about them. Our focus as bowel specialists is often centred on finding and dealing with polyps when we are performing a colonoscopy procedure and patients wonder what these are and why there is such intense focus on them. My explanation below is aimed at a basic understanding of what a polyp is and how these are critically important to preventing bowel cancer.
Colonoscopy is the gold standard for bowel cancer screening, polyp detection or removal and for investigating digestive symptoms. We are lucky to enjoy a very high standard of colonoscopy in many endoscopy centres in New Zealand and we have some fantastic endoscopists. However, some endoscopists need to “up” their game and even the best endoscopists would welcome anything that makes their practice safer, more effective and successful. As with many aspects of the world around us, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is making its way into our lives, and the world of colonoscopy is no different. AI-based systems, powered by deep learning and convolutional neural networks (CNNs), offer a promising solution to enhance our diagnostic accuracy and reduce our human error during colonoscopy. It’s a brave new world, one that might leave some people a bit worried about AI in healthcare. This article explores this interesting and emerging technology that you might see in use during your colonoscopy procedure.
Colonoscopy and Gastroscopy are essential procedures used to diagnose and sometimes treat conditions affecting the digestive tract. Research and audits consistently show a wide variation in the quality of these procedures carried out by doctors, with strong evidence to show that poor quality endoscopy adversely affects the patient’s diagnosis and prognosis. A poor quality procedure can miss important abnormalities, cause serious injury and cause extreme distress to the patient. Whether you need a gastroscopy or colonoscopy for investigating symptoms or for routine screening, selecting a skilled endoscopist is essential. This guide is to help you look out for factors that are likely to indicate that your endoscopist is an expert and that you’ll be in safe hands with them.
Our New Zealand population has one of the highest bowel cancer rates in the world already, with the average Kiwi facing a one in sixteen (1:16) chance of being diagnosed with bowel cancer in their lifetime. Having a family member with bowel cancer makes that risk even higher. Bowel cancer – also known as colorectal cancer (CRC) - has traditionally been more prevalent among older adults and many younger adults feel somewhat immune to this affecting them personally. Screening for bowel cancer has typically only targeted the over 60’s. However, recent studies indicate a concerning rise in early-onset bowel cancer globally. This rise in cancer amongst younger adults has been dramatic in the last two decades and should be a wake-up call to any adult Kiwi, of any age, who has bowel symptoms or who has a family member who has had polyps or bowel cancer.
Colonoscopy and CT colonography are the two principal modalities for detecting bowel disease. Colonoscopy is essentially a camera passed through the bowel to visually inspect the bowel, take photographs, flush it clean and take biopsies or remove polyps.
A lot of people talk about the pelvic floor but what do we actually know about it? I’ve spent a lot of time looking after problems in the female or male pelvic area, from disease or from the pelvic floor itself. This short video describes the pelvic floor structures.
