Bhaktapur, June 18

Human Organ Transplant Centre, Bhaktapur has become the first public hospital to start endoscopic ultrasound service in the country. It has been providing endoscopic ultrasound service for more than a week now.

According to Dr Neeraj Joshi, gastroenterologist/hematologist, 250 patients have already received endoscopy ultrasound service. He informed, “Only the private hospitals were providing this service in the country so far.”

“Endoscopic ultrasound is a minimally invasive procedure to assess digestive (gastrointestinal) and lung diseases. It uses high-frequency sound waves to produce detailed images of the lining and walls of your digestive tract and chest, nearby organs such as the pancreas and liver, and lymph nodes,” shared Dr Joshi.

He informed that during the procedure, a small ultrasound device is installed on the tip of an endoscope — a small, lighted, flexible tube with a camera attached. Then the endoscope and camera are inserted into the upper or the lower digestive tract to obtain high-quality ultrasound images of organs.

Because the EUS can get close to the organ(s) being examined, the images obtained with EUS are often more accurate and detailed than images provided by traditional ultrasound which must travel from the outside of the body.

EUS helps to diagnose ovary cancer, stomach cancer, chronic pancreatitis or other disorders of the pancreas, abnormalities or tumors in organs, including the gallbladder and liver. It is also useful to study the muscles of the lower rectum and anal canal to determine reasons for fecal incontinence (accidental bowel leakage), nodules (bumps) in the intestinal wall.

“The traditional ultrasound can suspect the stone in bile ducts 50 to 90 per cent while EUS can suspect 100 per cent which helps to guide the further treatment to the patients,” said Joshi. For this service, many people travel to the neighboring countries but with this facility available in the public hospital many people will be benefitted from it as it will reduce the treatment and travel expenses.He said the diagnostic test along with sampling can be done for Rs 5,000 to 15,000. The entire procedure usually takes 20 to 30 minutes and the patient usually can go home on same day.