Specialized Tests Provide Unique Window From Top to Bottom
New York, NY (August 5, 2004) — NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center has established a new Gastrointestinal Motility Service, becoming one of the few medical centers in the New York metropolitan region to provide highly specialized testing for disturbances of gastrointestinal motor function.
Gastrointestinal motility disorders are believed to stem from abnormal muscle contractions in the intestine, either as a result of problems with the muscle itself or with the nerves or hormones that control the muscle's contractions. When these muscles don't work in a coordinated fashion, food may not pass through the intestine in an efficient way. Symptoms may include difficulty swallowing, heartburn, gas, nausea, vomiting, bloating, constipation and diarrhea — depending on the affected area. The Gastrointestinal Motility Service provides specialized testing to help determine the most appropriate method of treatment.
Not every patient can — or should — resolve their heartburn or diarrhea with a quick prescription. Something as simple as a chronic unexplained cough, for example, may be a sign of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which, if left untreated, can lead to permanent damage of the esophagus. Tests such as esophageal manometry and 24-hour pH can accurately confirm the diagnosis of GERD — something that traditional endoscopy does only 50% of the time. "Our goal is to provide the appropriate testing and treatment and avoid the consequences of undetected or advanced disease," says Dr. Arthur Harris, Director of Gastrointestinal Motility at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell and Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College.
"The Gastrointestinal Motility Service's mission is to provide outstanding care to patients with neuromuscular disorders of the gastrointestinal tract who present with unexplained or difficult-to-manage symptoms," said Dr. Ira Jacobson, Chief of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell and Professor of Clinical Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College. "At the same time, it provides an excellent complement to our new state-of-the-art endoscopy suite and recently opened Jay Monahan Center for Gastrointestinal Health."
Highly specialized motility tests provided by the Gastrointestinal Motility Service are not provided by most hospitals or physicians. The Service's array of tests includes 24-hour pH studies (which measure the degree of acid reflux), esophageal and anorectal manometry (which measure muscle strength and function) and electrogastrography (which records the rhythm of the stomach's electrical impulses). New non-invasive breath tests for gastric emptying and other cutting-edge motility tests are planned for the future. The Service will also be a valuable resource for teaching, training and research in neuromuscular disorders of the gastrointestinal tract.
About NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center
The NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, one of the largest and most comprehensive health-care institutions in the world, comprises two major centers: Weill Cornell Medical Center at 68th Street in Manhattan and Columbia University Medical Center at 168th Street in Manhattan. The new Gastrointestinal Motility Service is located at the 68th Street Center. That Center, together with its academic partner, Weill Cornell Medical College, is designated by the name NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center. NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell provides state-of-the-art inpatient, ambulatory, and preventive care in all areas of medicine, and is committed to excellence in patient care, research, education, and community service.
Kathleen Robinson
krobinso@med.cornell.edu