GI Procedures & Testing in Fort Smith, AR

Everything we do, and what each one is for

A procedure is rarely the thing a patient is actually worried about. The worry is the prep, the sedation, the time off work, and what the results might say. This page lays out each procedure we perform, why it gets ordered, and what the day itself is like. All endoscopic procedures are performed by Ihab Herraka, MD at our on-site endoscopy center in Fort Smith. Dr. Herraka is board-certified in Gastroenterology, Internal Medicine, and Obesity Medicine. The physician who sees you in clinic is the one who performs your procedure and reviews the findings with you, and there is no handoff to someone you have not met.

Colonoscopy

The examination of the entire colon, and the only screening test that both finds and removes precancerous polyps in the same session. Used for colorectal cancer screening, rectal bleeding, changed bowel habits, chronic diarrhea, anemia and surveillance in inflammatory bowel disease. Read about colonoscopy, including how the prep works and why it decides the quality of the result.

Upper endoscopy (EGD)

A thin camera examination of the esophagus, stomach and the first part of the small intestine. Used for reflux that has not responded to treatment, difficulty swallowing, upper abdominal pain, nausea, suspected ulcers, H. pylori and Barrett's esophagus surveillance. Biopsies can be taken during the same procedure. Read about upper endoscopy.

Colon cancer screening

Screening now begins at 45, not 50, for people at average risk. There is more than one acceptable way to be screened, and they are not equivalent, and a stool-based test that comes back positive still ends in a colonoscopy. Read about colon cancer screening, or go straight to the comparison most people are actually weighing: colonoscopy vs. Cologuard.

FibroScan

A painless ultrasound-based scan that measures liver stiffness and liver fat in about ten minutes, with no needle and no sedation. It is what replaced liver biopsy for most patients, and it is how fatty liver disease is staged rather than merely noticed. Read about FibroScan, and about how it compares with the test it replaced for most patients: FibroScan vs. liver biopsy.

Hemorrhoid banding

The CRH O'Regan system treats internal hemorrhoids in about a minute, in the office, without anesthesia and usually without time off work. Most patients need a small number of short visits rather than a procedure day. Read about CRH O'Regan banding.

Anorectal manometry

A short pressure test that measures how the rectum and anal sphincter squeeze, relax and coordinate. It is used for constipation that has not responded to fiber and laxatives, and for leakage or loss of bowel control. We perform it at our Main Clinic, it takes about 30 minutes, and there is no sedation and no driver. Read about anorectal manometry.

Abdominal and liver Doppler ultrasound

Painless imaging of the liver, gallbladder, bile ducts, pancreas and spleen, using sound waves rather than radiation. It is the usual first test when gallstones are suspected, and a routine part of liver follow-up. A Doppler study adds a look at the blood flow through the liver, which matters in cirrhosis and portal hypertension. Both are done on site at 3416 Old Greenwood Rd, so neither means a separate trip somewhere else.

Balloon dilation of a narrowed esophagus

When scarring from years of reflux, a ring of tissue or allergic inflammation has narrowed the esophagus, a balloon is passed through the scope and inflated to widen it. It is done here in our endoscopy center during the same sedated upper endoscopy, so it does not add a second appointment. Read about difficulty swallowing.

Capsule endoscopy

A camera the size of a large vitamin that you swallow, which photographs the small intestine as it passes. It is the test for bleeding or anemia that a colonoscopy and an upper endoscopy could not explain, and for suspected Crohn's disease in the small bowel. We do it here, so it is not a test you travel for. Read about capsule endoscopy.

Genetic testing for hereditary colon cancer

A cheek swab, taken here in the office, that tests for the inherited syndromes behind a minority of colon cancers, including Lynch syndrome and familial adenomatous polyposis. The swab takes a minute; it goes to a laboratory for analysis and results come back in a few weeks. It is worth discussing if colorectal cancer or advanced polyps run in your family, or if you or a relative were diagnosed young.

How to prepare, in general

Specific instructions come from our office and always override anything on this page. In broad terms: you will be told which medications to hold and which to continue, blood thinners and diabetes medication need a plan made in advance, colonoscopy requires a bowel prep the day before, upper endoscopy requires fasting, and any procedure involving sedation requires a driver. We accept most major plans, including Medicare and both Arkansas and Oklahoma Medicaid. The full list is on our insurance page, and self-pay pricing is available for elective services.

Schedule a procedure in Fort Smith

Call (479) 242-2888 or request an appointment. Most plans do not require a referral, and our staff verifies your benefits before you commit to anything.