Intestinal failure

We take a series of X-rays of your abdomen (stomach area) and put them together to create a detailed 3D image.

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We use electromagnetic rays to produce images of your tissues and organs. Sometimes, we use a specific type of X-ray called a barium enema. During a barium enema, we fill your colon with a dye containing barium. This process makes the X-ray image of your intestine easier to view. 

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We take a sample of your blood and study it in our laboratory to look for signs of intestinal failure. We count your blood cells to see if you have infections or anemia. Anemia is when you do not have enough healthy red blood cells. We also run electrolyte and kidney function tests.

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We look inside your lower gastrointestinal tract (also called the large intestine) using a thin tube with a camera. The camera on the tube sends images to a computer. The tube also has tools that take samples of your intestinal tissue, which we then test in our laboratory. This process is called a biopsy.

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We look inside your esophagus (the tube that brings food from your mouth to your stomach) and stomach with a thin, flexible tube. We take tissue samples to send for laboratory testing. We also measure how often the muscles in your stomach and small intestine contract.

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We measure how fast your body moves food from your stomach to your small intestines. We do this using advanced imaging technology and a tiny amount of radioactive material. Another way we do this is by measuring how much is in your stomach before you eat and afterward.

We collect information about your digestive system with a Smart Pill. A Smart Pill is a pill equipped with tiny, wireless monitoring systems. You swallow the pill, and it travels through your gastrointestinal tract. Along the way, the pill collects information about acid levels, temperature and pressure. The Smart Pill leaves your body with a bowel movement.

Treatment plans at PHC often involve total parental nutrition (TPN). We connect you to an IV tube (a tube that goes into your vein) to send nutrients into your bloodstream. Because each person has different nutritional needs, a team of doctors, nurses and nutritionists will work together to create your nutrient formula. TPN is a short-term treatment option, since long-term use of TPN can cause severe problems like liver failure.

Managing long-term pain can be challenging. We create plans to help you manage your pain using medication, stress management and alternative medicine.

We sometimes use a specialized form of pain treatment for nerves in the gastrointestinal tract called motility care. This pain treatment involves a combination of nerve stimulation and medicines.

The British Columbia Home Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (BC HPEN) Program allows patients to get parenteral (PN) and enteral nutrition (EN) at home.

These are life-saving therapies for people who cannot eat or absorb enough nutrients from a regular diet. They usually begin in a hospital setting. Our program supports patients who need continued nutritional support at home.

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To help with communicating with your health care team, we offer interpretation services 24-hours-a-day. Please ask your care team to place a request if you need an interpreter including a sign language interpreter. 

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Our psychology services can provide emotional support to our patients who may need help coping with their condition and its treatment.

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Our social work team helps patients and their families by providing emotional support and connecting them to helpful resources and services. This team can also assist in planning for the future, advocate for patients' needs, and help with practical concerns like finances and social support.

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We offer pastoral care services to support you and your loved ones. Our professional staff, including chaplains from different faiths, are here to accompany you, provide counseling, and create spaces for reflection, prayer, and meditation. 

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We strive to offer you the best and most compassionate care possible. If we succeed, please let us know. If we fall short of our goal “How you want to be treated,” please also let us know. 

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