One of the Hospital’s premier signature clinical services, this program features experienced and highly respected  gastroenterologists, on the Norwalk Hospital Medical Staff, who see patients in their offices throughout lower Fairfield County as well as at the Hospital’s Center for Digestive Diseases.

A key component of Norwalk Hospital’s digestive diseases service is a colorectal cancer screening program. Colorectal cancers are highly preventable and treatable if caught early. Health experts recommend a screening colonoscopy at age 50 for adults considered at average risk. Colonoscopies are performed by gastroenterologists in the Hospital’s modern and nationally accredited Gastrointestinal (GI) Lab.

Norwalk Hospital is the only hospital in Connecticut to offer Third Eye Retroscope-enhanced colonoscopies. This new technology has been shown in clinical studies to improve the detection rate of potentially pre-cancerous colon polyps by up to 25%. Once detected, the colon polyps can be removed during the colonoscopy. Several gastroenterologists on the Hospital’s medical staff are offering Third Eye Retroscope-enhanced colonoscopies to patients.

The Norwalk Hospital Center for Digestive Diseases provides state-of-the-art, academic medical center-level care in a conveniently located, community hospital setting. The Center’s widely recognized, fellowship-trained, specialist physicians provide leading-edge diagnostics and treatments for disorders of the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, colon, rectum, gallbladder, pancreas and liver.

A leader in advanced endoscopic procedures for the treatments of gastrointestinal disorders, the Center also offers a chronic heartburn program, and, in partnership with Yale School of Medicine, a comprehensive Liver Center.

Clinical services provided by the Center’s specialist physicians include, but are not limited to:

• Ablation therapy for Barrett’s esophagus
• Chronic heartburn (GERD) evaluation and treatment
• Colon cancer screening
• Colonoscopies
• Double balloon-assisted enteroscopy
• Endoscopic procedures, including endoscopic ultrasound
• Inflammatory bowel disease evaluation and treatments
• Liver diseases, including Hepatitis C, evaluations and treatments

The Center serves as a major teaching site for the Yale School of Medicine. William Hale, MD, director of gastroenterology and hepatology; Dennis Meighan, DO, director of endoscopy; and Seth A. Gross, MD, director of advanced endoscopy; help train residents and fellows, and also conduct clinical research studies designed to improve care for patients.

In addition, both Dr. Hale and Dr. Meighan have been selected a “Top Doc” by Connecticut Magazine, and Dr. Gross was the first physician in Connecticut to use liquid nitrogen cryotherapy in the treatment of Barrett’s esophagus and esophageal cancer.

To learn more about the Norwalk Hospital Center for Digestive Diseases and related services, use the Digestive Diseases Services quick links on the left of this page. 

Watch Norwalk Hospital’s gastroenterologist and director of advanced endoscopy, Seth A. Gross, MD, on New York’s ABC 7 talk about using the Third Eye Retroscope to perform colonoscopies and how this new technology improves detection of polps by up to 25%.

GI Lab Hours:

7:30 am to 5 pm Monday through Friday

Center for Digestive Diseases "Your Health Matters" articles:

Read the article "Norwalk Hospital Is a Leader in Colorectal Cancer Screening" from our 2011 spring edition of Your Health Matters.

Read the article "GI Endoscopy Unit Nationally Recognized for Quality and Safety" from our 2010 fall edition of Your Health Matters.

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