The Gastrointestinal Unit at WVU Medicine Uniontown Hospital is our resource for superior quality diagnostic and therapeutic care. Our physicians, nurses, and support teams are specially trained in digestive healthcare, and utilize the newest technologies and procedures to facilitate your treatment. To assure you the greatest possible convenience and economy, the unit is designed to enable you to be prepared for the procedure, have it performed, and recover, all in the same facility.

We realize you will have questions about your treatment. From the moment you arrive, we encourage you to communicate your needs to our staff. Their goal is to keep you informed and comfortable with your care.

Remember, you’re in the hands of experts dedicated to your health, and they are always ready to help you.

Full Range of Services

Patients of the Gastrointestinal Unit benefit from the newest advancements in the diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal disorders.

One of the most commonly performed diagnostic procedures is endoscopy. A flexible tube containing fiberoptic bundles is inserted into the esophagus and stomach, where it sends back accurate, close-up images of the upper digestive tract. The procedure takes about 10 minutes to perform, and causes minimal, if any, discomfort.

Similar procedures using fiberoptic technology are also performed in the unit. Flexible sigmoidoscopy uses a two-foot-long tube and powerful light source to examine the lining of the rectum and lower portion of the colon. A similar procedure, colonoscopy, can examine the entire length of the colon.

The unit also has a procedure room that is used for minor surgical procedures.

Regardless of the procedure you are scheduled for, remember that your care is in the hands of highly trained professionals.

Learn more about what to expect.

Also known as laparoscopic, endoscopic, or arthroscopic surgery, minimally invasive procedures offer distinct advantages for many patients, including smaller incisions, shorter hospital stays, and faster recovery. Currently, more than half of the surgeries we perform are minimally invasive.

In minimally invasive procedures, surgeons use several small incisions, rather than one large one. A fiberoptic cable with a tiny camera attached is inserted through one of the incisions and acts as a guide for the surgeon by sending internal images to a monitor. The surgeon then performs the procedure by inserting tiny surgical tools through the small incisions.

At WVU Medicine Uniontown Hospital, our expert surgeons are experienced at performing minimally invasive surgeries in virtually every field:

• Gastroenterology
• General
• Gynecology
• Orthopedics

And our patients are reaping the rewards – with smaller scars, shorter recovery times, fewer side effects, and less pain.

We’re glad you’ve chosen WVU Medicine Uniontown Hospital’s SameDay Surgery. SameDay Surgery is designed to enable you to be admitted, treated, and discharged without having to stay overnight in the hospital. You can have your treatment completed with little interruption of your daily routine, and at a cost far below an in-hospital stay.

At WVU Medicine Uniontown Hospital, we realize that you have individual needs and concerns about your surgery. Our staff has all the specialized training it takes to answer any questions that may arise. Our goal is to make your stay as pleasant as possible.

This information is designed to answer many of the questions you may have and provide you with information and instructions that you must follow to prepare for your SameDay Surgery procedure.

Advantages of SameDay Surgery

Quick and Efficient

Patients are admitted in the morning and are released the same day to recuperate at home.

We’ve found this approach to surgery beneficial for both the patient and the physician. For the patient, there is little separation from family and friends, making it easier to get back into your daily routine.

Also, your physician gets the most efficient use of hospital resources and equipment.

Less Expensive

SameDay Surgery can also cost significantly less than the traditional inpatient stay. You can save hundreds of dollars on your surgical bill. Because the program is hospital-based, you can rest easy.

Should an emergency arise, vital support services are only seconds away. Every day, a variety of surgeries are performed. Outpatient procedures regularly performed include general surgery, as well as orthopedic, gynecological, urological, podiatry, endoscopic, eye, and ear, nose, and throat surgery.

Advanced skill and medical technology have made many procedures faster and less complicated. State-of-the-art equipment, such as video monitoring, fiberoptics, and surgical microscopes, is designed for use in certain procedures to help surgeons perform their specialty with greater accuracy and efficiency.

Less Pain

SameDay Surgery employs the latest anesthesia techniques to not only minimize pain, but also assist in quick recovery from the anesthetic.

Your anesthesiologist specializes in administering and monitoring anesthesia during your operation. Before surgery, the anesthesiologist will talk with you and your surgeon to determine the appropriate anesthetic for you.

SameDay Overnight Surgery Patient Information

We are dedicated to patients like you who need quality surgical care. Our pre-admission program has been designed to take care of your needs prior to the day of admission.

At WVU Medicine Uniontown Hospital, we realize that you have individual needs and concerns about your surgery. Our staff has all the specialized training it takes to answer any questions that may arise. Our goal is to make your stay as pleasant as possible.

This information is being provided to give you general information about your hospital stay and instructions that you must follow for your scheduled procedures.

Learn more about what to expect.