Digestive health specialists near Los Angeles

At West Hills Hospital and Medical Center, we have extensive experience helping patients with digestive health disorders. Whether your condition is simple or complex, our specialists evaluate, diagnose and develop a treatment plan to fit your needs.

Our West San Fernando Valley facility offers a range of services and experts with extensive experience. From simple constipation and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) to colon polyps and colon cancer, our board-certified doctors are ready to meet your digestive health needs.

For more information about our gastroenterology services or to find a specialist, please call our Consult-A-Nurse® line at (818) 676-4321.

Gastroenterologists are doctors that specialize in treating disorders affecting the esophagus, stomach, intestines, gallbladder, pancreas, bile ducts and liver. These specialists focus on keeping your digestive system healthy.

Gastroenterologic conditions we treat

Our doctors are prepared to treat a variety of gastrointestinal conditions. Some conditions we may treat include:

  • Bloating
  • Colitis
  • Colon polyps and colon cancer
  • Constipation
  • Diarrhea
  • Diverticulosis
  • Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
  • Heartburn
  • Hemorrhoids
  • Incontinence
  • Irritable bowel syndrome
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting

Gastroenterology treatments we offer

Our facility offers a multidisciplinary approach to evaluate, diagnose and treat gastroenterological or digestive disorders. Examples of gastrointestinal (GI) diseases include ulcers, gallstones, and liver diseases.

Our lab and imaging services include a state-of-the-art GI diagnostic lab. Our lab features two self-contained labs and specialized equipment that help diagnose digestive disorders. Our range of services include:

  • Colonoscopy — an exam to find polyps in the colon
  • Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) — a procedure to diagnose diseases of the bile ducts, pancreas and pancreatic ducts, liver and gallbladder
  • Endoscopic ultrasonography — an exam that combines endoscopy with ultrasound to develop images of digestive organs
  • Flexible sigmoidoscopy — an exam in which a surgeon inserts an endoscope into the colon through the anus
  • Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube — a feeding tube or feeding tube replacement
  • Upper endoscopy — an exam of the upper GI tract (esophagus, stomach, small intestines) using an endoscope

Gastroenterologic surgery

Besides medication and screening procedures to evaluate and treat digestive disorders, we also offer several surgical procedures. Several of our surgeries offer robot-assisted surgery options, which offer better outcomes for patients and shorter recovery times. Some of our GI surgeries include:

  • Appendectomy — surgery to remove the appendix
  • Hernia repair — surgery to repair openings in the abdomen or diaphragm
  • Liver resection — removal of a section of the liver
  • Nissen fundoplication — procedure to repair the esophageal sphincter or the muscle between the esophagus and stomach that prevents reflux

Bariatric surgery

Bariatric or weight loss surgery makes changes to the digestive tract (stomach and small intestines) to reduce food consumption. Weight loss surgery may help patients who have difficulty losing and controlling excess weight, especially when medication, dieting and exercise plans become less effective.

Our bariatric surgery may also be an option for reducing the health risks of weight-related conditions like Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease, stroke and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. We work with you and your doctor to determine if bariatric surgery fits your health needs.

Single-site gallbladder surgery

At West Hills Hospital, this type of surgery is an improvement in traditional and laparoscopic gallbladder removal procedures. The technique uses a single small incision in the belly button as opposed to four small incisions in the abdomen.

Our GI surgeons are some of only a few in the West Valley area trained to perform this procedure. The result is less blood loss, fewer chances of infection, reduced recovery time and nearly invisible scarring.