Author: Praveen Suthrum

Here are gastroenterologists leading major hospitals’ GI departments: Note: Profiles are presented alphabetically. Nezam Afdhal, MD. Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (Boston). Dr. Afdhal is the chief of gastroenterology and hepatology at Beth Israel. His clinical interests include gallbladder disorders, hepatitis B and C, and liver cancer. Wolfram Goessling, MD, PhD. Massachusetts General Hospital (Boston). Dr. Goessling is the chief of the gastroenterology division at Massachusetts General Hospital and is the Jules L. Dienstag, MD, and Betty and Newell Hale Endowed Chair in Gastroenterology. He’s also a professor at Harvard Medical School in Boston. W. Ray Kim, MD. Stanford (Calif.) Hospital. Dr. Kim is chief of the gastroenterology…

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Patients with decompensated cirrhosis due to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis had worse outcomes and more complications than patients with hepatitis B virus, according to study results. Hiang Keat Tan, MB, BS, MRCP, from the department of gastroenterology and hepatology at Singapore General Hospital, and colleagues wrote that they expect NASH to become a larger cause of cirrhosis in Asia and sought to determine its potential burden in the future by comparing outcomes with the current driver of liver disease in the region, HBV.

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Stuart Akerman, MD. Digestive Health Associates of Texas (Dallas). Dr. Akerman was named a best doctor by D Magazine in 2017, 2018 and 2019. Estella Alonso, MD. Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital (Chicago). Dr. Alonso is the medical director of the hospital’s Siragusa Transplantation Center. She is also a professor of pediatrics and medical social sciences at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago.

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CRH Medical reported an uptick in fourth-quarter revenue in 2020 compared to 2019, but saw a year-over-year drop in the first through third quarters of 2020. Five details from CRH Medical’s fourth-quarter and year-end results: 1. The company had $36.8 million in revenue during the fourth quarter of 2020. That’s a 21 percent increase from the same time in 2019. Revenue from anesthesia services was $34.1 million. 2. There were 108,681 anesthesia patient cases in the fourth quarter.

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A diet high in foods (such as processed meats) that enrich sulfur-metabolizing bacteria in the gut and thereby increase production of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is associated with increased risk of early-onset colorectal neoplasia (colorectal adenomas or serrated polyps), researchers report in the November issue of Gastroenterology. These findings might help explain the recent and troubling increase in the incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) in persons younger than 50 years.

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An international study of more than 50,000 people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) has revealed that IBS symptoms may be caused by the same biological processes as conditions such as anxiety. The research highlights the close relationship between brain and gut health and paves the way for development of new treatments. IBS is a common condition world-wide, affecting around 1 in 10 people and causing a wide range of symptoms including abdominal pain, bloating, and bowel dysfunction that can significantly affect people’s lives. Diagnosis is usually made after considering other possible conditions (such as Crohn’s disease or bowel cancer), with…

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The American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) is a global leader in advancing digestive care through education, advocacy and promotion of excellence and innovation in endoscopy. Its new monthly podcast, Listen In, GI Endoscopy, features Jonathan Buscaglia, MD, FASGE as host interviewing world renowned guest experts in 30-minute discussions about endoscopic solutions to gastrointestinal conditions and diseases encountered in daily practice.This podcast is supported by Cook Medical.

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From the American College of Gastroenterology to Medtronic, here are four leadership appointments from gastroenterology companies since Oct. 1: The American College of Gastroenterology elected Samir Shah, MD, as its next president. Dr. Shah will oversee the college’s initiatives, including continuing education programs, activities involving national and state medical affairs, health policy issues and clinical investigations.

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Most surgeons said in a recent survey that a series of Medicare reimbursement cuts expected to go into effect in 2022 could lead to longer wait times and delays as well as exacerbate a crippling labor shortage. The survey results of 2,227 members from the American College of Surgeons provided exclusively to Fierce Healthcare by the Surgical Care Coalition, a collection of 13 advocacy groups, comes as physician groups are pressing Congress to step in and delay a series of cuts that could add up to a nearly 10% shave to Medicare reimbursements.

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