Professional Education:

Gastroenterology Fellowship Program
The aim is to advance the understanding, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of gastrointestinal and liver disease through patient care, education and research. Upon completion of the training experienced trainees will have the clinical, investigative and teaching skills necessary to take a leading role in academic and clinical gastroenterology and hepatology. Our consultants are internationally qualified and nationally recognized for their excellence in the field of gastroenterology and hepatology.

Nursing Endoscopy Training
The unit has successfully trained Saudi National Nurses and Technicians utilizing an adaptation of the SGNA Standards .The program is designed to provide advanced didactic education that focuses on theoretical and practical experience ensuring high quality of care in the specialty, with emphasis on Endoscopic procedures. The Library within the hospital subscribes to Gastroenterology Journals for nurses and Gastroenterology AGA for physicians to keep us updated with current practices being introduced internationally.

Divisions:
The unit provides its services to the department of Internal medicine within the specialty field of gastroenterology, also Hepatology, Pulmunology and Pediatric gastroenterology.  The Department of surgery is represented within the unit with regards to Minor surgery, working within strict guidelines. The Urology department is represented within the unit undertaking ESWL procedures. The nursing staffs within the department are renowned for their adaptability, their multi-skills & for being a useful resource in times of bed crisis or disaster.

The following procedures are carried out in the Endoscopy area or adjacent areas such as Main X-ray and Lithotripsy room or at any location were the doctor stipulates in order   to carry out procedures. The Endoscopy staff mobilizes their equipment to meet the needs of the patients, at the same time maintaining a 7 day 24 hour on call roster for Emergency Endoscopic procedures. We have been pioneers in piloting the newly formed conscious sedation, and Time Out verification forms, thereby demonstrating our commitment to change and improvement towards patient safety.

List of procedure undertakings in the Unit:

Diagnostic procedures:

• Gastrointestinal Endoscopy
• Enteroscopy
• Endoscopic Ultrasound
• Capsule Endoscopy
• Sigmoidoscopy
• Colonoscopy
• Endoscopic Retrograde  Cholangio Pancreatograpy  (ERCP)
• Manometry
• PH Monitoring
• Bronchoscopy

Therapeutic Procedure

• Oesophageal Dilatation
• Oesophageal Stenting
• Variceal Sclerotherapy/Banding
• Ulcer Injection
• Polypectomy
• Argon Plasma Coagulation
• Removal of Foreign Body
• Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy
• Endoscopic Spincterotomy and stone removal
• Biliary or pancreatic stent placement
• Biliary or pancreatic stricture dilatation

Non-Endoscopic procedures

• Infliximab infusions
• Abdominal paracentesis
• Ultrasound guided liver biopsy
• Ultrasound guided alcohol injection
• Radio Frequency Ablation
• Extra corporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL)
• Minor Surgery

Staff:
Endoscopists are privileged and certified by the Medical Director.
Specialist trained nursing, and technical staff. The Department has 5 Gastroenterologist Consultants, 4Gatroenterology Staff Physician /Associate Consultant, 3 Hepatology Consultant, 4 Associate and Assistants Consultant, 3 Pediatric Gastroloenterology Consultant, 7 Pulmunology Consultant, 3 Urology Consultant, 12 Nursing Staff, a Recovery Nurse, 2 Endoscopy Technicians and 3 Endoscopy CSSD Technicians.

Bed Capacity:  
The admission/recovery area consists of 8 bays. This area is in close proximity to our 4 procedure rooms and freely accessible by normal recovery trolley. Each bay has an oxygen supply and wall mounted suction dedicated to each area.

Statistical Data:

• Year 2007 - 4468 cases performed for both in and outpatient.
• Year 2008 - 4489 cases performed for both in and outpatient

Achievements:
At the end of last year 2008, the Endoscopy unit successfully tendered for State of Art equipment, including Manometer, Endoscopic Capsule, Endoscopy PH Monitoring, Endoscopic Ultrasound and Endoscopic reporting System. It is envisaged that upon receipt of these items we will become “thee center of Excellence” for Endoscopy within the region. Currently with the introduction of the Evis Lucera System and 260 Endoscopes, we now offer our patients a new generation for Endoscopic imaging, image quality, which includes Narrow band and Auto Fluorescence imaging.  These images, in conjunction with our excellent Endoscopists, improve the detection of subtle lesions and subtle mucosal structures for which improve visualization and enhancing a more accurate diagnosis & treatment.

We are privileged that the CEO of the National Guard Hospital His Excellency Dr. Bandar Al Knawy successfully published a comprehensive textbook title
"Hepatology A Practical Approach" of which he is a co-author.

Dr. Ibrahim Traif Hepatologist also had a recent publication
“ Liver diseases and transplantation”

Dr.Waleed Huzaim is actively working on several projects that will be published later in the year 2009. 
“Helicobacter Pylori Prevalence and associated conditions which responds to therapy at tertiary hospital in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,”

“Colon Cancer patient’s characteristics and management at the tertiary hospital in Saudi Arabia,”
“Characteristics of Inflammatory Bowel disease among patients at tertiary Hospital in Saudi Arabia,”
 “Clostridium Defficile epidemiology in Tertiary Hospital in Saudi Arabia.”
 
All Flexible Endoscopes within the National Guard are processed in Endoscopy by three highly trained CSSD technicians unit utilizing a Medivator Automated Processors.

Location:
We are located nearby the Observation/UCC at one end & IVF clinic at the other. The unit is in close proximity to acute emergency services.  The location within the complex allows for easy access for both outpatients and for the transportation of inpatients by trolley.

Contact Us:
All enquires, should be directed to the Endoscopy unit at:
Telephone: 2520088 Ext 12221/12223/12224