Gastroenterology Clinical Programs
Members of the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center are experts in general clinical pediatric gastroenterology, as well as in a broad range of specialty areas, including:
Our staff performs an extensive array of procedures to diagnose and treat these disorders of the digestive system, such as:
In addition, our colleagues in the Divisions of Pediatric Thoracic Surgery and Pathology, the Department of Radiology and the University of Cincinnati Division of Digestive Diseases work with us to provide additional approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal, liver and nutritional disorders.
Interdisciplinary Programs
While offering comprehensive care in the areas discussed above, the Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition at Cincinnati Children's also provides expertise to several interdisciplinary programs.
Pediatric Liver Care Center
Comprehensive care of children with liver disease, including liver transplantation through the Pediatric Liver Care Center, is provided in partnership with the Division of Pediatric and Thoracic Surgery and the Liver Transplantation Program.
Nutrition and Intestinal Care Center (NICC)
The Nutrition and Intestinal Care Center (NICC), initiated in 2001, expands the solid organ transplantation options offered at Cincinnati Children's. The NICC serves as a center of excellence in the management of complex intestinal and liver disease, with emphasis given to evaluation and diagnosis, interdisciplinary planning to encompass medical, nutritional and surgical care and complex surgical management, including both reconstructive procedures and isolated small intestinal or combined small intestinal / liver transplantation. It also follows children with complicated nutritional needs who are supported by parenteral nutrition and/or a combination of enteral and parenteral nutrition.
Enteral and Parenteral Nutrition
The division also offers consultations regarding enteral and parenteral nutrition, and provides medical leadership for Cincinnati Children's home parenteral nutrition service for children.
Schubert-Martin Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center
A multidisciplinary approach to the management of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) through the Schubert-Martin Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center is provided in conjunction with the Division of Pediatric and Thoracic Surgery.
Aerodigestive and Sleep Center
The Aerodigestive and Sleep Center at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center is internationally known for a comprehensive, interdisciplinary approach to evaluating and caring for chronically ill children with complex airway, pulmonary, upper digestive tract, sleep, and feeding disorders.
The goal of the Aerodigestive and Sleep Center is to improve the clinical outcomes for patients by coordinating patients' evaluations, as well as operative and diagnostic procedures, in a time-efficient manner. A group of highly skilled physicians and nurses provide coordinated and well-integrated care, patient / parent education, and ongoing evaluation of patient progress.
The core team comprises faculty from six Cincinnati Children's divisions:
Because gastrointestinal issues can affect healing from airway reconstruction surgery, it is critical that gastroenterology physicians assess and evaluate the child to receive a clear picture of the child's overall tolerance for the reconstructive procedure. If a medical condition is discovered during the initial evaluation requiring treatment by a gastroenterologist, the child will be put under his / her care. Once the condition is treated and / or under control, the child will be reevaluated for treatment within the Aerodigestive and Sleep Center.
