Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. People with inflammatory bowel disease IBD may, at times, be unsure which specialist to call for advice or direction about their Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis.
If the problem has to do with recent surgery, the colorectal surgeon may be the better specialist to call. This is especially true if a surgical site is not healing the way it should, or if there is an unexpected pain. For questions about regular medications, vaccinations, or a new problem that might be related to IBD such as pains in the joints, skin problems, or eye problems , the gastroenterologist would be the specialist to contact.
Some people with IBD see their colorectal surgeons more often than they do their gastroenterologist and the reverse is also true. There are several aspects to consider when it comes to which specialist may be needed.
Another point to consider is the relationship a patient has with each physician and from which specialist it will be easier to get in to see and receive the care that's needed. This article will describe more about colorectal surgeons and gastroenterologists and their training, which may help people who live with IBD to understand which aspects of IBD might be more appropriate for one or the other specialty.
People with IBD may see a colorectal surgeon from time to time. One reason for this is if a gastroenterologist calls for a surgical consult: this could be to determine if the Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis are at a point where the disease would be better managed through surgery. The gastroenterologist should also be kept in the loop as to what next steps are, in order to better coordinate medical therapy before, during, and after any surgery.
A colorectal surgeon may not always advise that surgery is the best course of action. Sometimes a surgeon is consulted to give a patient and their family more options or to help determine if it might be better to wait for surgery.
If you are sent by a gastroenterologist to talk to a colorectal surgeon, it doesn't always mean that you are headed for surgery. After surgery, people with IBD may keep in contact with the colorectal surgeon for some time, especially if the surgery was for ostomy or j-pouch surgery.
Gastroenterologists are the physicians who will coordinate most of the care for managing IBD. For the most part, IBD is managed with medications and it is necessary to have a specialist make recommendations on these treatments.
However, all gastroenterologists receiving training in caring for patients with IBD. For day-to-day concerns about IBD, including managing symptoms such as diarrhea, bloody stools, constipation, or pain , addressing medication side effects, or coordinating care or referrals for extra-intestinal manifestations which may include skin, eye, or join problems , a gastroenterologist will be the primary point of contact. When it comes time to have a colonoscopy or other endoscopic procedure, either a colorectal surgeon or a gastroenterologist may be able to complete the test.
Which doctor conducts the procedure will be based on that physician's expertise and their knowledge of your particular disease and medical history, as well as availability and insurance considerations. Some people with IBD have one physician who often does endoscopy procedures, and another physician who coordinates all the medical care such as prescriptions, referrals, and ordering lab tests. This is a very common question that we receive and often patients are unsure of which field is appropriate for their needs.
Although these fields overlap in some areas, the specialties are actually very different in the conditions they treat and their method of training. In order to address this issue, we have added some useful information to decide which type of physician treats your condition.
A Colorectal Surgeon, formerly known as a proctologist, is a general surgeon who has undergone further training in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the colon, rectum and anus. Colon and rectal surgeons are experts in the surgical and non-surgical treatment of colon and rectal problems. Colon and rectal surgeons treat benign and malignant conditions, perform routine colon screening examinations and surgically treat problems when necessary.
A gastroenterologist is a doctor who has completed initial training in internal medicine and further training in gastroenterology. Gastroenterologists do not operate on patients. They can also provide medication for people suffering from Celiac Disease or the disease where the immune system attacks and damages the small intestine when it detects gluten in the system. They conduct a biopsy to extract a small part of the small intestine to determine the extent of the damage and provide treatment recommendations.
Aside from serious illnesses, gastroenterologists can also help people with lactose intolerance. They can prescribe supplements like lactase enzymes that can help in digesting lactose. They can also provide advice for dietary changes that can help relieve symptoms of lactose intolerance. Gastroenterologists provide treatment through non-surgical methods.
They can perform some invasive procedures for a diagnosis like an endoscopy and colonoscopy. They can also perform invasive treatment procedures like esophageal dilation to lengthen the esophagus to relieve difficulty in swallowing caused by scarring of the esophageal lining due to GERD or excess tissue. However, gastroenterologists do not and are not trained to perform surgery. They specialize in providing daily assistance and monitoring for patients in addressing symptoms and managing the side effects of medication and providing care on a long-term basis.
Proctologist is an outdated term that refers to doctors who diagnose and treat illnesses and disorders related to the anus and the rectum. Today, proctologists are called colon and rectal surgeons or Colorectal Surgeons. Colorectal surgeons diagnose and treat chronic and acute diseases of the colon and rectum but are also trained in treating diseases of the digestive tract up to the anal and peri-anal area.
Colorectal surgeons start as general surgeons who perform surgery on all areas of the GI tract. Thus, they have similar training and expertise in conducting diagnostic procedures as gastroenterologists such as endoscopy and colonoscopy.
For serious conditions of the rectum up to the colon, however, colorectal surgeons are the specialists for performing surgery. Colorectal surgeons perform more specific diagnostic tests than gastroenterologists due to their specialization in the colon and rectum area.
They perform a wide range of diagnostic procedures that may or may not require the use of equipment. The Digital Rectal Exam DRE is the basic diagnostic procedure for colorectal surgeons for examining the rectum and other organs, including the prostate.
This procedure involves inserting a gloved finger with lubrication in the anus and into the rectum to feel any bumps and spots as signs of abnormalities. The anoscopy is another diagnostic procedure that involves using the anoscope, a tubular instrument made of disposable plastic or sterilizable steel, which allows the doctor to check the tissue in the anal canal and rectum.
The proctoscopy and sigmoidoscopy are similar diagnostic procedures for examining tissue for abnormality. The barium enema and the endorectal ultrasound are both imaging tests to determine abnormalities in the colon and rectum, respectively. Usually, colorectal surgeons perform imaging tests to determine any cancerous mass in the colorectal region. Colorectal surgeons can treat serious cases of hemorrhoids, especially in cases where the veins inside or outside the anus are severely swollen and cannot be treated quickly with oral and topical medication.
They can also operate on anal fissures or tear in the anal canal that can lead to infections known as abscess and fistulae. They can also remove anal skin tags or lumps around the surface of the anus. Colorectal surgeons can also remove polyps or non-cancerous or pre-cancerous mass as well as other kinds of masses like diverticulitis which occurs in the lining of the digestive tract.
Furthermore, they can also treat sexually transmitted diseases STDs including chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and herpes.
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