Dr. Patrick Hyatt: Therapeutic Endoscopy
As a gastroenterologist at the Institute for Digestive Health and Liver Disease at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland, Dr. Patrick Hyatt also serves as a therapeutic endoscopist. In some cases, Patrick Hyatt, MD, uses an endoscope. This instrument is a thin, flexible tube with a small camera attached. It is inserted through the mouth. The endoscope serves as a means to provide internal examinations for diagnostic purposes. During therapeutic endoscopy, the endoscope provides a vehicle for minimally invasive treatment. Using a specialized technique called therapeutic endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ECRP), Dr. Hyatt can treat complications associated with conditions such as pancreatitis and gallstones. During therapeutic treatments, the doctor uses specialized instruments to insert stents, widen narrow ducts, sample tissues, and remove gallstones. He inserts these instruments via the endoscope while the patient is sedated. Because of the minimally invasive nature of the procedure, ECRP is performed on an outpatient basis. Patients typically return home within a few hours and resume normal activities quickly.