Now the new Gastroenterology clinic has been inaugurated with the princess Christina, Ms. Magnusson. The three units of surgery (responsible doctor, Dr. Arne Nordahl), overweight (Dr. Göran Lundegårdh) and IBD (for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases) have been re-located together, to the newly renovated premises in G-house. G, as in Gastroenterology, which stands for which for stomach and intestine diseases, according to IBD-unit’s head, professor Robert Löfberg.

The new clinic has the capacity to take care of around 8000 patients per year. By unifying both internal and surgical gastroenterology the idea is to make it simpler, faster and smoothly for the patients. That way both internal and surgical diagnosis and examination can be done at the same reception. When investigating stomach and intestinal problems endoscopy is often necessary (procto/rectoscopy as well as gastro/colonoscopy with video instruments) and this is where the doctors count on major coordination benefits. There are today 8 doctors, 10 nurses, dietitians and secretaries working at the Gastroenterology clinic.

 

International Development Project

At the IDB-unit there is an ongoing, so-called, apheresis (i.e. cleaning of blood) research and development project. A four inches cellulose-filter is used to separate certain kinds of activated leukocytes from the patient’s blood. The method, that is extremely lenient, has in pilot studies proven to be very effective, especially with chronic inflammatory bowel disease, such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s. The column, that is EU-certified medical device product, is called Adacolumn and is produced by the Japanese company Otsuka. The IBD-unit at the gastroenterology clinic is the first western center, outside Japan, that started using the method. So far about 70 patients have been treated, with very promising results, within the limits of clinical trials and follow-up-studies.