About the Division of Digestive Diseases

The UMMC Department of Medicine’s Division of Digestive Diseases strives for excellence while caring for Mississippians. Our expert team is ready to care for you and your family. Our collaborative practice of hepatologists, endoscopists, and gastroenterologists is dedicated to the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and management of digestive and liver diseases.

The division currently has three major practice focuses: 1. Hepatology, 2. Advanced Endoscopy, and 3. Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)/Gut Immunology.

The hepatology section of the division has undergone significant and transformative changes within the last 12 months. We now have a director of liver transplant and anticipate two additional hepatology faculty to join the team in late summer 2020 and early 2021. All three individuals are boarded in both gastroenterology and hepatology. Their focus will include treating viral infections, NAFLD, metabolic, inflammatory and advanced diseases of the liver and bile ducts. They work collaboratively with the University of Mississippi transplant surgeons in treating liver lesions and managing pre-and post-transplant patients. The group is supported by a nurse navigator and a dedicated triage nurse.

The Advanced Endoscopy section of the division has also expanded. We now have two advanced endoscopists with both complementary and disparate sets of expertise. We provide procedural expertise related to ERCP, EUS of the foregut and rectum, EMR of the upper and lower GI tract, ESD of colonic lesions, endoscopic treatment of achalasia and Barrett’s esophagus, as well as Spyglass cholangioscopy. Our advanced endoscopists work closely with cardiothoracic surgery and hetobiliary surgery. Esophageal motility, endoflip, and Bravo® pH monitoring are all offered in support of advanced care of esophageal diseases.

The inflammatory bowel disease/gut immunology group includes three physicians, two dedicated nurses, and a pharmacist. The group provides care for disorders leading to disrupted gut immunology including Crohn’s, Ulcerative colitis, primary immune deficiencies impacting the gut, GI manifestations of hereditary alpha tryptasemia, short bowel syndrome, and Celiac disease. Our group works collaboratively with pediatric gastroenterologists to help diagnose and manage children with very early onset and IBD. The Department of Surgery at the University of Mississippi supports the surgical needs of our patients.  Our patients are also supported by hematology, endocrinology, rheumatology, dermatology, allergy/immunology, and interventional radiology. UMMC now offers the only advanced MRI imaging for IBD in the state. Our pharmacist assists our patients in navigating their complex medication needs as well as assisting in the management parenteral nutrition.

Because of our focus, we are able to engage in NIH-funded and industry-sponsored research that benefits our patients. We are also able to engage in educating future health care providers for the state of Mississippi.