Archive for gastroenterology
How one diagnosis brought together three best friends: Allyson, Maddy, and Caiya’s journey with pancreatitis
Allyson, Maddy, and Caiya are your typical tween best friends — sharing inside jokes and constantly chatting about everything and anything. “They’re always on FaceTime talking and laughing,” shares Kim, Maddy’s mom. “They just love each other.” You’d never guess that these three girls didn’t meet at recess, but rather through Dr. Amit Grover, director ... Read More about How one diagnosis brought together three best friends: Allyson, Maddy, and Caiya’s journey with pancreatitis
A new approach to C. diff? Targeting the inflammation, not the bacteria
Clostridium difficile (C. diff) intestinal infections can cause severe, debilitating diarrhea in patients who are hospitalized or on immunosuppressive therapies. The infections can be very hard to eradicate, roaring back when patients try to taper their antibiotics. Many people wind up on antibiotics for months and can become resistant to three or more of them. ... Read More about A new approach to C. diff? Targeting the inflammation, not the bacteria
Calm through the storm: Connor’s ulcerative colitis journey
When you meet Connor today, he’s a confident 13-year-old who is incredibly laid back when he speaks about his complex medical condition. This school year, he plans on playing basketball and running track. “I like hanging out with my friends and traveling — now I can do all these things without being in pain.” However, ... Read More about Calm through the storm: Connor’s ulcerative colitis journey
Hurdles in health care: Navigating insurance approvals
If you’ve ever struggled with your patient’s insurance company when it came to getting their prescription filled, you’re not alone. For patients with chronic conditions, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), newer drugs like biologics can be very effective — but also very expensive. As a result, many insurance companies have limited access to these medications ... Read More about Hurdles in health care: Navigating insurance approvals
From bench to bedside: A promising option for unremitting ulcerative colitis
Many existing treatments for inflammatory bowel disease, like Remicade® and Humira®, work by blocking inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukins IL-12 and IL-23, which are over-produced in autoimmune disease. But few patients with ulcerative colitis get complete relief from these drugs. A small but promising open-label clinical trial, published recently in ... Read More about From bench to bedside: A promising option for unremitting ulcerative colitis
How transnasal endoscopy got Jamie back on the golf course
Jamie is like most 15-year-olds — he goes to school, hangs out with his friends, and still makes time to get outside to play some golf and baseball. However, when Jamie was having bouts of throwing up and getting food stuck in his throat, he and his mom, Tricia, knew it wasn’t just a case ... Read More about How transnasal endoscopy got Jamie back on the golf course
Predicting feeding difficulties in children with esophageal atresia: A proactive approach
Children with esophageal atresia are at risk for developing anastomotic strictures, or areas of esophageal narrowing, following surgical repair. Clinicians have long assumed that such strictures can cause dysphagia and feeding difficulties, but it isn’t clear whether the severity of feeding difficulties is related to the severity of a stricture. Now, findings of a recent ... Read More about Predicting feeding difficulties in children with esophageal atresia: A proactive approach
Finding hope in hard times: Max’s journey with ulcerative colitis and primary sclerosing cholangitis
When Rachel’s son, Max, had a string of persistent symptoms that caused him to be in and out of their local pediatrician’s office, Rachel knew something deeper was going on. “He would wake up from a deep sleep with intense abdominal pain, fever, and vomiting, he was very sick.” Their pediatrician thought Max just had ... Read More about Finding hope in hard times: Max’s journey with ulcerative colitis and primary sclerosing cholangitis
From PediaSure to pizza: Benjamin’s journey with esophageal stricture
This fall, Benjamin Hawkins and his family visited a local orchard to go apple picking. It’s a beloved tradition for many people, but this visit was extra special for Benjamin: For the first time in his life, he could take a big bite out of the apple he’d just plucked from a tree. In fact, ... Read More about From PediaSure to pizza: Benjamin’s journey with esophageal stricture
With support for genetic condition trisomy 18, Brooklyn ‘tells her own story’
Erin and Tim Haggan quickly realized they would always be seeking answers after learning the child they were expecting had trisomy 18. It is a life-threatening chromosomal condition, and only about 10 percent of children live beyond their first year. Those who survive grow slowly and often have congenital heart defects (CHD) and other organ anomalies. The couple ... Read More about With support for genetic condition trisomy 18, Brooklyn ‘tells her own story’