Patients with oesophagus, stomach and duodenal issues can now benefit from a new procedure at Walsall Manor Hospital to help find out the cause of their symptoms.
Four new endoscopes to be used in Trans Nasal Endoscopy (TNE) have been bought and the service’s first procedure was carried out earlier this year.
During TNE a very thin, flexible tube is passed through a patient’s nose and down the back of their throat into the food pipe, stomach and upper duodenum to investigate symptoms such as swallowing difficulties, pain, recurring indigestion, or heartburn, vomiting and bleeding.
Dr Amanda Hughes, Clinical Director of Endoscopy with Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, said: “Good teamwork between management, Doctors and Nurses has brought about this £150,000 investment and made a TNE service a reality for our patients.
“The Clinical Nurse Endoscopist, Gerald Mayapis, leading this service has been trained in gastroscopy by our medical team and has been supported to attend training courses for nasoendoscopy and to be able to train others in gastroscopy.”
Endoscopy at Walsall Manor Hospital as a whole has benefited from a huge investment this year with £1.8 million in new equipment and £780,000 in staff expansion and IT.
Amanda said this investment will result in increased quality of patient care, increased capacity (of which the new TNE service is part), reduction in the backlog of patients awaiting endoscopy and improved wait times.
Grandmother Julie Lum, aged 60, was the first patient to undergo TNE after suffering from reflux and a severe cough that had been keeping her awake for two hours at a time.
The mother of four, who has nine grandchildren, is a Medical Secretary and explained that one of the Consultants at work noticed how exhausted and unwell she looked.
“I felt nervous about the procedure, but Dr Hughes and the team were lovely, so kind and reassuring,” said Julie, who lives in Pelsall.
“It’s an odd feeling to have the tube through your nose but I do feel special that I was the first patient! It turns out that I have a large hiatus hernia that will need surgery, so it has identified what is causing my symptoms. I’m pleased that others can benefit from this new service too as it’s a worry wondering what is causing health problems.”