Pancreaticobiliary Program

Specialists Dedicated to the Diagnosis, Treatment and Study of Pancreatic Diseases

Disorders of the pancreas and biliary system are difficult to diagnose and treat. Patients suffering from gallstones may particularly benefit from being in the specialized Pancreaticobiliary Program of the Digestive Diseases and Liver Center. The Pancreaticobiliary Program is well-known for its ability to manage a variety of different diseases of the gall bladder and pancreas.

Gallstones
A combined team of medical and surgical specialists who have expertise in gallbladder disorders are available for consultations. The medical team of Russell Brown, M.D., and Rama Venu, M.D., are nationally known for their endoscopic expertise; while Chief of General Surgery Scott Helton, M.D., is nationally regarded for his surgical approaches to the patient with gallstones. A variety of surgical and non-surgical approaches for the treatment of gallstones is available including:

• ERCP (Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography)
• ERCP lithotripsy
• Laparascopic cholecystectomy

A Team Approach to Your Digestive and Liver Care

We have the latest technology and most advanced practitioners of Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) supported by one of the best therapeutic radiology groups in the United States. Our physicians are expert in non-surgical and minimal-surgery approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of gallstones, biliary strictures, tumors and pancreatitis.

• Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)
  ERCP is an advanced procedure readily performed in the outpatient setting that allows for radiographic visualization of the pancreas, gallbladder, and bile ducts. ERCP is very helpful in the non-surgical treatment of gallstones, biliary strictures, and dysfunction of the Sphincter of Oddi. This complex and technically demanding procedure is routinely performed on a daily basis by Drs. Brown and Venu, nationally and internationally acknowledged for their technical virtuosity.
  
• Endoscopic Ultrasound
  The University of Illinois Medical Center is a major referral center in Chicago for endoscopic ultrasound (EUS). This technique allows for the detailed imaging of the wall of the gastrointestinal tract and surrounding organs by using sound waves. This powerful but technically difficulty procedure is extremely helpful in the diagnosis of:
  • Cancers and tumors of the pancreas, biliary system, and duodenum.
  • Evaluation of masses within the gastrointestinal wall when previous standard biopsy attempts have been unhelpful.
  • Performing fine-needle aspirations of suspicious masses previously seen on x-ray.
  • Staging tumors of the esophagus, stomach, pancreas, rectum and biliary system. Improved staging provided by EUS often significantly alters patient management.
    
  EUS is performed by Allan Halline, M.D., and Rama Venu, M.D.
  
• Laparoscopy
  Laparoscopy is a minimally invasive technique valuable for performing liver biopsy under direct vision, and for staging cancers of the esophagus, stomach, pancreas, and biliary system. This technique is commonly practiced at the University of Illinois Medical Center and can be performed as an outpatient. Recent innovations include the use of ultrasonography during laparoscopy, and which is particularly valuable in increasing our detection of cancer.