High-tech tools help
patients with IBD
Allegheny General Hospital (AGH) is the fi rst hospital in the
region to off er endoscopic stricturotomy (ES) as an alternative to
invasive surgery for infl ammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients.
ES is usually used for patients with biliary tract and esophagus
diseases; we are one of three hospitals in the country doing ES for
patients with IBD.
AGH gastroenterologists use an endoscopic needle knife to
remove fi brous tissues that have narrowed the patient’s colon
and are restricting normal digestion. During the needle-knife ES,
the endoscopist has full control of location and depth of incisions
and can remove the precise amount of tissues required, avoiding
unnecessary trauma. This new treatment is more eff ective and
reduces the likelihood that blockages and narrowing will reoccur.
Symptoms of IBD include abdominal pain, persistent diarrhea,
and an urgent need to go to the bathroom. At AGH, each patient
is evaluated as an outpatient by a team of IBD specialists and a
colorectal surgeon before being selected for ES.
Breaking new
ground
AHN gastroenterologist Gursimran Kochhar, MD, is one of
the few doctors in the country able to perform endoscopic
stricturotomy for patients with IBD. “The tip of this needle knife
is so tiny you can barely see it, but when we combine it with
an endoscope and magnifi cation, we can open up strictures
without invasive surgery,” he said.
Dr. Kochhar joined AHN in 2018. “I take the time to fully explain
each step of the process to my patients. This is essential for
their comfort, health, and recovery,” he said.
A participant in the Mayo Clinic’s Advanced Endoscopy
Fellowship, Dr. Kochhar is board certifi ed in internal medicine,
gastroenterology, and nutrition. His innovative research has
been published in leading gastroenterology journals.
Dr. Kochhar sees patients at the Allegheny Center for
Digestive Health in Pittsburgh and Wexford.
GURSIMRAN KOCHHAR, MD,
GASTROENTEROLOGIST