DECATUR, GA - Emory Decatur Hospital has unveiled $4 million in improvements to its endoscopy center, converting 1,200 square feet of existing space into an advanced gastrointestinal (GI) procedure suite. With the renovation, Emory Decatur Hospital GI physicians will be able to serve more patients with interventional and minimally invasive GI procedures using cutting edge technology in a specialized and comfortable environment.

Following two years of planning, design and construction, the expanded space involved the renovation of three multipurpose rooms into one dedicated GI procedure suite with advanced medical imaging technology to support many different procedures and treatments. In the new procedural suite, clinicians can assess diseases of the digestive tract using endoscopic ultrasound, diagnose and treat problems of the bile and pancreatic ducts and treat Barrett’s esophagus, where the lining of the esophagus is damaged from stomach acid reflux, plus other conditions.

Among new technology in the advanced GI suite is the EndoFLIP, a device used to measure pressure and dimensions of the esophagus and parts of the stomach, to aid in diagnosing and managing certain esophageal and stomach disorders.  

“Emory Decatur Hospital offers a full array of treatment and care options for routine and advanced digestive tract concerns, plus the convenience of an easy-to-navigate hospital with parking close to our new advanced GI suite, as well as to our Emory Decatur Digestive Diseases Clinic and outpatient surgical center,” says Sonali Sakaria, MD, clinical chief of gastroenterology at Emory Decatur.

Beginning this fall, GI doctors using the new suite will be able to perform double balloon enteroscopy, a highly specialized endoscopic procedure that is used for evaluation and treatment of small bowel pathology. The procedure uses one or two balloons, a long, thin tube and a camera to assess deeper into the small intestine. Emory Healthcare is the only health system in the state of Georgia offering double balloon enteroscopy, with Emory Decatur joining Emory University Hospital as the only two Emory hospitals performing the procedure.

“Having the balloon enteroscopy procedure available at Emory Decatur for advanced evaluation of the small bowel will provide increased access to this specialized procedure for our patients in the Decatur area, across Atlanta and throughout the state,” says Sakaria, who is also an associate professor in the Division of Digestive Diseases at Emory University School of Medicine. “There is a certain skill set required to do these specialized GI procedures and we are pleased to be able to offer this procedure to our patients.” 

To learn more about the Emory Clinic Digestive Diseases Program, visit the website or call 404-778-3184 to schedule an appointment at Emory Decatur Hospital.

Emory Decatur Hospital, one of 11 Emory Healthcare hospitals, is a 451-bed facility located on North Decatur Road in Decatur, Georgia. Emory University School of Medicine faculty, private practice physicians and Emory Specialty Associates physicians care for patients at Emory Decatur, along with more than 2,500 staff. Services include emergency medicine, oncology, heart and vascular care including stroke, maternity care, orthopaedics, behavioral health, a weight loss center and a medical fitness center, among others.