SAMITIVEJ AND SANO HOSPITALS TEAM UP TO BRING INNOVATIVE GI ENDOSCOPY TO THAILAND
Samitivej Sukhumvit Hospital, a leading hospital under the Samitivej Group, celebrates the First Anniversary of its Liver and Digestive Institute, a collaborative operation with Japanese Hospital SANO. The Institute specializes in endoscopy and offers full-cycle diagnostic services and treatment of liver and gastrointestinal diseases to improve quality of life for patients.
Dr. Udom Leelataweewud, Deputy Director of Samitivej Sukhumvit Hospital, revealed that in the past year through collaboration between SANO Hospital and Samitivej Sukhumvit Hospital, the two hospitals have also launched a medical exchange program allowing Samitivej doctors to study innovative medical techniques from their counterparts in Japan.
SANO Hospital recently introduced the Narrow Band Imaging technique to Samitivej Hospital, which is a technique that applies the use of specific green and blue lights to enhance the details and other obscure aspects of a gastrointestinal endoscopy. It is used to increase the efficiency of the newly-developed Narrow Band Image International Colorectal Endoscopic Classification (NICE) with magnification technique, which offers the following benefits:
● Enables early detection of colorectal diseases, even in the absence of physical tumors
● Provides more accurate diagnoses which leads to more precise treatments
● Shortens medical procedures, promotes faster recovery and reduces complications, with no need for patients to stay at the hospital
● If abnormalities are detected, biopsies can be taken safely, with no need for unnecessary surgery
SANO Hospital has also transferred knowledge on Endoscopic Ultrasound to Samitivej Sukhumvit, providing services as follows:
● Detecting cancers of the pancreas, lymph glands around the pancreas, and associated organs such as the bile ducts, gall bladder, stomach wall and intestines
● Providing diagnoses of various stages of disease and tumor examination for accurate treatments
Another innovative technique brought to our hospital is Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), which is used to precisely diagnose and treat abnormalities in the bile duct, leaving no surgical scars on the abdomen and enabling patients to resume their daily activities shortly after treatment.
Korn Pongjitdham, M.D. and Thawat Mongkolporn, M.D. are two of Samitivej’s doctors who participated in the exchange program with SANO Hospital and shared their experience enthusiastically: “Not many doctors in Thailand are capable of carrying out such a complicated technique like Narrow Band Imaging with magnification. We are thrilled that this progress will raise the standards of our practice even higher.”
Every doctor working at Samitivej’s Liver and Digestive Institute is trained to master this new Narrow Band Image International Colorectal Endoscopic Classification (NICE) technique. The center also specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of liver and gastrointestinal diseases including infectious diseases, alcoholic liver disease, fatty liver disease, pancreatitis, gallstones and many more illnesses. The Institute uses the latest medical innovations and technologies, and is equipped with a team of specialists. Located on the 2nd floor of Samitivej Sukhumvit Hospital, the Institute has 10 specializing doctors, 12 nurses, four technology experts, 12 examination rooms, five endoscopy rooms and 10 patient recovery rooms.
