Gastroenterology is the study of the gastrointestinal (GI) or digestive system, including its problems and diseases. The digestive or GI tract, (also known as the alimentary canal) is the main component of the digestive system and consists of an irregular ‘tube’ some eight to nine metres long incorporating the mouth, oesophagus, stomach, duodenum, small bowel, large bowel, rectum and ending with the anus.

Inflammatory bowel diseases
Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) (IBD) are a group of chronic conditions associated with many distressing and serious complications, but for all but the most severe cases, they are not generally considered fatal illnesses.  IBD includes two main conditions, Ulcerative Colitis (UC) and Crohn’s Disease (CD).
 
Most patients with Ulcerative Colitis or Crohn’s Disease are diagnosed when they are relatively young, often after many months of symptoms such as stomach cramps, bloody diarrhoea etc. The diseases may influence their ‘quality of life’ and the manner in which they are able to live their lives.

Bleeding oesophageal varices
There are many medical complications associated with cirrhosis of the liver, the hardening of the liver tissue that often follows long term excessive alcohol exposure or after infection of the liver e.g. through hepatitis.

For such a condition the development of oesophageal varices is one complication that can become a life-threatening, emergency situation if the varices rupture. The varices protrude from the inner surface of the oesophagus and often can without other, or previous, symptoms start to bleed.

Oesophageal varices can rupture suddenly and without warning necessitating hospitalisation and prompt action by the medical team.