The Gastroenterology Department at Hôpital de La Tour recently performed its first EDGE (endoscopic ultrasound-guided transgastric ERCP) procedure, led by gastroenterologists En-Ling Leung Ki and Pierre Guibert.
These advances demonstrate Hôpital de La Tour’s ongoing commitment to improving healthcare and its dedication to offering patients cutting-edge technologies and treatments. With the arrival of Dr. Pierre Guibert to the team, the gastroenterology department has further strengthened its expertise in interventional endoscopy, particularly with its first EDGE procedure (endoscopic ultrasound-guided transgastric ERCP).
This procedure is a minimally invasive, natural-orifice approach performed using endoscopic ultrasound, which combines endoscopy* with ultrasound** to examine and treat anatomical regions near the endoscope. It is carried out in two stages. The first step involves creating an anastomosis (a connection between two digestive structures) by placing a specially designed metal stent (luminal apposition stent). This anastomosis restores access to parts of the digestive tract that have become inaccessible in certain patients who have undergone procedures such as “gastric bypass” surgery. Once communication between the two organs has been reestablished, endoscopes and instruments can be guided through this new passage to perform an ERCP (endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography), a procedure that allows for the examination of the bile and pancreatic ducts and the treatment of conditions affecting these organs.
EDGE is one of many techniques that can be performed using echoendoscopy. Echoendoscopy provides real-time visualization of structures near the probe. This proximity to internal organs enables medical procedures that are increasingly targeted, precise, and effective.
This first procedure exemplifies the medical excellence at Hôpital de La Tour and demonstrates the hospital’s ongoing commitment to medical innovation and the continuous improvement of patient care.
* Endoscopy is a medical procedure that uses an endoscope to visualize the inside of the body without surgery.
** Ultrasound is a medical technique that uses sound waves to create internal images of the body.