A gastroenterologist is a physician trained in internal medicine, but specializing in the diagnosing and treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. The organs covered by our specialty include the esophagus, stomach, small intestine and large intestine (colon). We also take care of diseases affecting the liver, gallbladder and pancreas. Some of our major disease entities are peptic ulcer disease, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, cirrhosis of the liver, hepatitis a, b, and c, irritable bowel disease, constipation and diarrhea. A gastroenterologist can also remove colon polyps and stop bleeding in the stomach or colon via endoscopy. Endoscopy is the use of small tubes with light sources and computer chips that allow us to literally see into the stomach and/or colon without making an incision on the body. This helps us greatly in diagnosing and caring for several of the diseases listed above. All of the gastroenterologists at the Diagnostic Clinic of Houston are trained and skilled in endoscopy, and we provide a full array of endoscopic procedures.