EDINBURG, TX— Almost half a million people annually in the U.S. undergo a procedure called an Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatogram (ERCP) to diagnose problems in their liver, gallbladder and bile ducts. Gastroenterologists at Doctors Hospital at Renaissance are now using a new technology to diagnose and treat conditions such as obstructions and stones within the biliary tract. The technology, known as the SpyGlass® Direct Visualization System, includes a miniature 6,000 pixel fiber optic probe that provides physicians with a direct view of a patient’s bile ducts, overcoming some of the visual challenges of conventional ERCP procedures.

Before SpyGlass technology, doctors relied on X-ray imaging for a view of the biliary system. With the SpyGlass System, which was developed by Boston Scientific Corporation, physicians are provided with a direct visualization of patients’ biliary system, which may improve diagnosis by helping to identify stones and strictures (obstructions). A fiber optic probe attaches to a camera head and is inserted through a single-use catheter that can be steered in four directions. This is designed to allow the user to access and inspect all four quadrants of the examination and treatment area. As a result, physicians are able to achieve an improved diagnosis for patients.

“Once again, Doctors Hospital at Renaissance is providing state of the art technology for all patients in the Rio Grande Valley,” states Laura Cantu, Director of Endoscopy at DHR. “We are excited and proud to be the largest and most advanced GI lab in South Texas.”

Doctors Hospital at Renaissance continues to be the premier healthcare provider in South Texas. For more information, please call Doctors Hospital at Renaissance at (956) 661-7555 or visit our website at www.dhr-rgv.com.