Service details
Procedure details and treatment flow
Examination by a specialist gastroenterologist
Gastroenterology is a narrow specialty of internal medicine that deals with diseases of the digestive system (gastrointestinal tract).
Gastroenterologists are narrowly focused on the precise diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the esophagus, stomach, small and large intestines, liver, gallbladder and pancreas. Given that the health of the digestive system directly affects immunity and the general state of the body, timely recognition of the problem is extremely important.
In our polyclinic in Kragujevac, we are dedicated to detailed diagnosis and successful treatment of a wide range of gastroenterological conditions, providing patients with safety and the highest level of medical care.
The importance of preventive examinations: Early detection of diseases of the digestive organs, especially colon tumors, is of crucial importance for successful treatment.
Preventive examinations of the large intestine (colonoscopy) are recommended for all people over the age of 50, and if there is a genetic predisposition (colon cancer in the family), regular checks should be started much earlier.
Symptoms and most common diseases
Digestive problems can significantly impair the quality of life. They often manifest through general complaints that require careful professional treatment in order to reveal the true cause.
Symptoms that require examination:
- Frequent and unexplained abdominal pain
- Heartburn, acid and difficulty swallowing
- Long-term diarrhea or chronic constipation (constipation)
- Bleeding from the colon or blood in the stool
- Loss of appetite and sudden, unexplained weight loss
- Heaviness, bloating and indigestion
- Jaundice (yellow discoloration of the skin and sclera)
The most common diseases and conditions:
- Stomach and esophagus: Gastritis, ulcer, hiatal hernia (stomach hernia).
- Guts: Irritable bowel syndrome, colon polyps and cancer, hemorrhoids, diverticulosis.
- Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD): Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.
- Liver and pancreas: Hepatitis, fatty liver and other diseases of the liver and pancreas.
The course of examination and modern diagnostics
The gastroenterological examination begins with a detailed interview (anamnesis) with the aim of obtaining as precise data as possible about the duration, quality and extent of current complaints, previous illnesses, surgical interventions and illnesses in the family. The doctor will be informed about the patient's appetite, stool and urination characteristics, lifestyle habits, as well as about the medications he is currently taking.
After that, the doctor performs a careful physical examination. The examination is based on palpation (feeling) of the abdomen with the hand and fingertips, auscultation (listening to bowel movements) and percussion (tapping). With this examination, the doctor is informed about whether the abdomen is soft or hard, whether it is bloated, gets information about the size of the liver and spleen, and checks whether any tumorous changes can be felt in the abdomen.
After the examination, the doctor gives his opinion and recommendations on additional analyzes if they are needed, or immediately suggests a specific therapy to solve the problems.
The most common additional diagnostic examinations include directed laboratory analyses, abdominal ultrasound, X-ray, CT or MR of the abdomen. They represent the gold standard in diagnostics endoscopic methods - examination of the esophagus, stomach and duodenum (gastroscopy) and examination of the entire colon (colonoscopy).