FOCUS ON: RESEARCH
Esophageal
Disorders Take
Center Stage
Team works to advance treatment options and
care for patients with esophageal diseases
General Surgery, and Voice Center/
Otolaryngology at Baylor Scott & White
medical centers to allow for prompt
referrals when necessary for a continuum
of care not widely available elsewhere.
“Modern advances in therapy are so
important for patients who experience
swallowing difficulty, reflux or other
esophageal conditions. We are very
pleased and proud that research
conducted through Baylor Scott &
White in our Center for Esophageal
Research has resulted in many of the
advances that have impacted the
clinical management of patients with
esophageal disorders,” he adds.
he esophagus is a muscular tube
that carries food and liquid from
the mouth to the stomach. When
Individualized Outpatient Care
In addition to Dr. Spechler and two
other gastroenterologists, Dr. Vani Konda
More than just a lump in your throat
While Dr. Spechler is widely renowned
it’s working properly, most people don’t and Dr. Rhonda Souza, the Center for as an expert in diseases of the esophagus,
give the esophagus much thought. But Esophageal Diseases offers the services Baylor Scott & White is a leader in the
when something goes wrong or doesn’t of endoscopists, esophageal surgeons, treatment of patients with a variety of
feel quite right, a specialized approach to otolaryngologists, radiologists and gastrointestinal diseases at regionally
evaluation and treatment may be needed. pathologists working collectively to bring and nationally recognized centers
Baylor Scott & White Health is dedicated to individualized care and service excellence of excellence, referral centers, local
finding and sharing innovative knowledge to North Texas. These multidisciplinary endoscopy centers and physicians’ offices
about the esophageal diseases that affect teams meet weekly to determine the across Central and North Texas.
millions of Americans. The physicians at best approach to the diagnosis and Baylor Scott & White Center for Esophageal management of patients with complex shows. Baylor Dallas and Baylor Scott
Diseases provide care to patients at Baylor esophageal problems. & White Medical Center – Plano were
University Medical Center facing complex
“When a patient has difficulty
And the commitment to excellence
recently ranked among the nation’s top
esophageal disorders. Patients receive swallowing and the cause is unclear, or the 10% of hospitals for Gastroenterology/GI
specialized consultation and care from patient’s current medication for chronic Surgery by U.S. News & World Report.
a multidisciplinary team dedicated to reflux isn’t giving them adequate symptom providing advanced diagnostic testing, relief, we offer outpatient diagnostic For more information on how to
endoscopic services, therapeutic proce- services and care that are highly support research or other initiatives
dures and minimally invasive surgeries. personalized,” Dr. Spechler says. “We in gastroenterology, please contact
work closely with the physicians at the Lynn Bohne at 214.820.4070 or
Departments for Thoracic Surgery, [email protected].
“Our focus is in three areas:
providing excellence in clinical care
for our patients, conducting innovative
research in collaboration with the Center
for Esophageal Research at Baylor
Scott & White Research Institute, and
contributing to education across the field
of esophageal diseases,” explains Stuart
Spechler, MD, chief of the Division of
Gastroenterology at Baylor Dallas.
The Center offers a variety of
advanced treatment options for patients
with esophageal diseases, including
minimally invasive treatments for some
disorders that used to require removal
of the esophagus. Endoscopic tissue
removal, radiofrequency ablation
with heat energy, and cryotherapy to
freeze diseased tissue are some of the
procedures being used to help prevent or
cure esophageal disease at an early stage
and keep the esophagus largely intact.
Top row, left to right: Marc Ward, Rhonda Souza, Daniel Davis, Lindsey Arviso, Brittany Buckmeister, Steven Leeds
Bottom row, left to right: Vani Konda, Stuart Spechler, Eitan Podgaetz
3
THE COMPASS / BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE FOUNDATION NEWS / FALL 2019