In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the number of patients with digestive problems, whether we are talking about gastrointestinal, liver, cholecystic, pancreatic disorders, or even gastroesophageal reflux disease.
Dr. Tudor Mocan, gastroenterology specialist, at the Anastasios Clinic in Cluj-Napoca
Daily stress, lifestyle and food choices are just some of the factors that can contribute to these complications. As always, prevention plays an extremely important role in maintaining our health, and when we identify a problem, specialist medical consultation is essential.
Dr. Tudor Mocan, expert in the field of gastroenterology, offers us an in-depth perspective on this issue, emphasizing the need for a preventive and informed approach. He is a Gastroenterology specialist at the Anastasios Clinic in Cluj-Napoca, doctor of medicine on the topic: diagnosis, prognosis and treatment in liver cancer.
He practices medicine and the specialty of gastroenterology from the desire to help patients with gastrointestinal ailments. He started practicing endoscopy out of the desire to detect early various gastrointestinal conditions that, if not detected in time, can profoundly affect the quality of life or survival.
He is a graduate of the “Iuliu Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Cluj Napoca, with training in medical and surgical clinics in Cluj.
He is competent in interventional ultrasound and digestive endoscopy, over 20 published ISI papers, invited lecturer at numerous national specialty congresses (eg National Congress of Gastroenterology, National Congress of Ultrasound), approximately 1500 patients treated in the III Medical Clinic in Cluj-Napoca , 350 patients treated or investigated privately in Cluj-Napoca, 1500 endoscopies performed in the last 2 years, hundreds of liver biopsies, biliary drainage or ultrasound-guided liver ablations.
Mr. Dr. Tudor Mocan, what are the most common gastrointestinal conditions you encounter in your work?
Among the most common conditions with which patients present in our clinic are abdominal pain syndrome, hepatocytolysis syndrome (“modified liver tests”), liver tumors, colonic polyps.
What are the signs and symptoms that should send someone to a gastroenterologist?
Abdominal pain (regardless of location), nausea with or without vomiting, weight loss, anemia, presence of blood or mucus in the stool, abdominal flatulence (“bloating”), pain or difficulty swallowing are all clear signals that the patient he needs a specialist consultation.
How are gastrointestinal conditions manifested and how can you diagnose them? What tests or procedures are commonly used?
For each of the gastrointestinal ailments, a consultation (i.e. history) and an abdominal ultrasound is needed. In the past, when abdominal ultrasound was not performed, the objective examination was performed. At present, abdominal ultrasound not only does it take the place of an objective examination, but it also helps us to decide whether further investigations are necessary or not.
Other procedures that can be used are upper digestive endoscopy (gastroscopy)in case of anemia, weight loss, abdominal pain, vomiting, pain or difficulty swallowing, lower digestive endoscopy (colonoscopy)primarily for the purpose of screening those over 50 years of age or sooner, in case of anemia, weight loss, persistent or recurrent pain in the lower abdomen, the presence of blood or mucus in the stool, liver biopsyin those who are diagnosed with liver tumors or in patients in whom no cause can be identified for changes in specific liver tests, ultrasound with contrast substanceto establish, sometimes with a similar accuracy CT or MRI, the malignant or benign nature of a formation in the abdominal sphere.
Dr. Tudor Mocan during an endoscopic procedure
Can gastrointestinal conditions be diagnosed and treated minimally invasively?
Most gastrointestinal conditions are treated in a minimally invasive way. For example, polyps on the colon are detected and removed by colonoscopy and, thus, colon cancer is prevented. Under ultrasound guidance, malignant liver tumors can be treated minimally invasively, through a technique called microwave or radiofrequency ablation, that is, a needle is inserted into a liver tumor under ultrasound control and the respective formation is heated to temperatures above 100 degrees C, and heating destroys the target tumor.
Are there links between gastrointestinal conditions and other health problems?
As in any other clinical specialty, in gastroenterology there are connections with other specialties. The best example is intestinal inflammatory diseases, which primarily affect the digestive tract but can also affect many other organs (joints, eyes, skin, lung, etc.). Another example is gluten enteropathy or Celiac disease, which can also affect many organs (e.g. thyroiditis, diabetes, etc.)
What is the connection between diet and gastrointestinal health? Are there certain foods to avoid to prevent gastrointestinal ailments?
In general, it is recommended to avoid alcohol consumption, to prevent, for example, acute pancreatitis or liver cirrhosis, and smoking, to prevent practically any type of cancer in the gastrointestinal sphere and beyond. Last but not least, we need to avoid fat consumption, as it increases the risk of developing certain cancers, and obesity itself is a risk factor for liver cirrhosis.
What is the link between stress and gastrointestinal conditions?
Stress is an important trigger for some gastrointestinal conditions. It is said that up to 50% of dyspeptic syndromes or irritable bowel syndrome or other functional disorders are caused by everyday stress.
What advice would you give on preventing gastrointestinal ailments and maintaining a healthy digestive system?
First, avoiding alcohol and smoking. Eating meat in moderation and rarely eating fat. Daily physical effort. Performing an abdominal ultrasound when pain, discomfort, flatulence (bloating) or other symptoms of those we mentioned previously occur. Having a colonoscopy at the age of 45-50, whether we have symptoms or not, having a gastroscopy at the age of 50.
What to remember
As the incidence of gastrointestinal problems continues to rise, it is essential to pay attention to how lifestyle, diet and stressors affect our digestive health.
As Dr. Tudor Mocan points out, prevention and awareness are the key to maintaining a healthy life. Monitoring symptoms, getting routine exams and adopting a balanced lifestyle can make a difference in the fight against gastrointestinal conditions.
By making sure we take care of ourselves and make referrals to the right specialists, we can help prevent and treat these problems properly.
Much health!
Article supported by Anastasios Clinic from Cluj-Napoca
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2023-08-25 06:41:13
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