Stomach, Liver and Nutritional Problems
The Gastroenterology Unit provides a state-wide service in gastroenterology, hepatology, and nutrition for infants, children and adolescents under 18 years of age.
The Gastroenterology Unit provides a state-wide service in gastroenterology, hepatology, and nutrition for infants, children and adolescents under 18 years of age. The services extend to the Northern Territory, Western NSW and Western Victoria.
Services
- Inpatient specialist care and consultation
- Outpatient clinics in paediatric gastroenterology, hepatology, nutrition, eating disorders, cystic fibrosis and inflammatory bowel disease
- Outreach specialist outpatient clinics to: Mount Gambier Hospital, Whyalla Hospital and Port Augusta Hospital.
- Home Enteral Nutrition Service (HENS)
- Home Parenteral Nutrition Service
- Diagnostic and therapeutic procedures: endoscopy and colonoscopy, liver biopsy, insertion of gastrostomy
- Inflammatory bowel disease service.
Gastroenterology Nurse Practitioner
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- Home Parental Nutrition
- Co-ordination of care and troubleshooting
- Patient/ carer education
- Preparation for transition
- Outpatient clinic
- Managing the biologic service
- Chronic constipation
- Liver disease/ transplant
Laboratory Diagnostic and Investigational Services
- Upper gastrointestinal motility studies
- 24 hour ambulatory pH monitoring for gastro-oesophageal reflux
- Oesophageal impedance testing for gastro-oesophageal reflux and symptoms
- Breath hydrogen testing for carbohydrate absorption and malabsorption, oro-caecal transit time and bacterial overgrowth of the intestine
- Stable isotope breath testing for Helicobacter pylori, gastric emptying, small bowel bacterial overgrowth, fat malabsorption
- Intestinal permeability testing using dual sugar probes.
Home Enteral Nutrition Service (HENS)
How to access this service
Referral requirements
A referral is needed from a medical practitioner.
Referral letters should contain
- Full name
- Date of birth
- Address
- Telephone number
- Whether or not your child will be treated as a public or private patient
- Parent/carer's names
- Medicare number
- Emergency contact (if required)
The referral may be faxed to (08) 8161 6246 or sent by mail. Once the referral has been received and triaged, the Unit Secretary will advise you of the appointment time either by telephone or by letter.
Hours
9:00am–5:00pm, Monday to Friday
Location
Level 8, Zone B (Rieger Building)
Further information
Crohn's and Colitis Forum – WCH Paediatric Gastroenterology Department
– Thursday, 5 December 2019
Resources
Contact
Clinic appointments/General enquiries
- Phone: (08) 8161 7352
- Email: gastro@wch.sa.gov.au
Breath Testing appointments/enquiries
- Phone: (08) 8161 7275
- Email: gcls@sa.gov.au
Fax
(08) 8161 6088
Mailing Address
Gastroenterology Unit
Women’s and Children Health Network
72 King William Road
North Adelaide SA 5006
Staff
Medical Unit Head
Dr Richard Couper
For Health Professionals
Resources for Clinicians
Research activity
- Motility research of upper gastrointestinal tract looking at developmental physiology, pathophysiology and pharmacotherapy.
- Non-invasive modalities to study gut function pathophysiology and interventions using both animal models and studies in humans in both health and disease areas including Helicobacter pylori, gastric emptying, gut mucosal injury of varying aetiologies and small bowel bacterial overgrowth.
- Centre for the Australian Paediatric and Adolescent inflammatory bowel disease database. This is also being used for research studies.