Columbia's Therapeutic Endoscopy Center is a national leader in the minimally invasive treatment of biliary disease and other digestive disorders.  We are currently the largest and most pre-eminent in the New York region, performing over 12,000 procedures every year.

Every day, our patients benefit from dedicated physicians, cutting edge research, and new technologies developed by our experts who are continually leading advances in the field.

Endoscopy is a powerful diagnostic tool that allows physicians to visualize different portions of the digestive tract.  A small, flexible tube with a camera at the tip can be guided through the mouth or rectum into the area of the digestive tract the physician needs to explore. In recent years endoscopy has evolved into a therapeutic tool as well--one that lets physicians evaluate, diagnose and treat a patient's condition all at the same time.  That same endoscopy tube acts as a portal into the GI system, enabling physicians to remove obstructions, destroy cancerous tumors, and perform other important therapies--all without making an incision in the skin.

Using these minimally invasive techniques, our highly skilled therapeutic endoscopy team is often able to identify and resolve a patient's problem in a single visit.

Conditions We Treat

Our Therapeutic Endoscopy Center brings experience and cutting-edge research to both common and rare conditions.

• Bile duct stones
• Bile duct leaks and narrowing
• Cancers of the pancreas, esophagus, stomach, small bowel, bile ducts and liver
• Pancreatitis, infections and abscesses of the pancreas
• Barrett’s esophagus and other precancerous lesions of the GI tract
• Obstructions, pseudocysts, tumors and stones
• Obscure GI bleeding and large GI polyps
• Achalasia (abnormal tension in the esophagus)

Our Services

Columbia’s Therapeutic Endoscopy Center performs the highest volume of ERCP and EUS procedures in the New York metropolitan area to diagnose a variety of digestive conditions.

• Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP): combines endoscopy with X-ray technology to diagnose and treat problems of the gallbladder, biliary system, pancreas, and liver
• Biliary and pancreatic stent placement: endoscopic placement of a tube to drain the bile duct or pancreatic duct
• Stone removal: endoscopic retrieval of stones from bile duct or pancreatic duct
• Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS): a procedure that uses ultrasound to detect tumors in the pancreas, stage gastrointestinal cancers, and detect stones in biliary ducts

Advanced Technologies

Our Therapeutic Endoscopy team is among the first in the nation to introduce new technologies and advanced approaches.

• New Imaging Techniques (including The Spyglass Visualization system): allow our physicians to view the pancreas with a precision never achieved before—providing more reliable diagnosis and minimally invasive treatment options.
• The Confocal Laser Endomicroscope obtains enhanced images of the digestive tract to detect and treat early cancers.
• Radiofrequency Ablation uses electrical energy to destroy cancerous and precancerous tissue, and is an effective treatment for Barrett’s esophagus.
• Endoscopic Mucosal Dissection (EMD) represents a major advance in treating Barrett’s esophagus and early GI cancer and allows physicians to endoscopically remove gastrointestinal tumors without a surgical incision.
• Photodynamic Therapy employs light waves to treat small shallow tumors in the esophagus of select patients.
• Cryotherapy or tissue-freezing addresses a variety of lesions in the digestive tract.
• DNA analysis of tissue samples (Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization, or FISH) helps us to evaluate abnormal narrowing of the bile duct to diagnose cancers.