What we do
The Queen's Day Unit is a purpose built unit opened in 2006 that
provides a wide variety of endoscopic and day surgery procedures.
We are situated on level 4 of the Queen's Building at the Bristol
Royal Infirmary.
We have two operating theatres which provide day surgery in the
specialties of Orthopaedics, Oral surgery (dental), Urology,
Gastro-intestinal, General, Vascular, Cardiac, Breast and
Maxillo-Facial.
There are four endoscopy rooms which undertake procedures for
respiratory, urology, gastro-intestinal, and hepato-biliary
specialities. Examples of these procedures are gastroscopy,
bronchoscopy, cystoscopy and colonoscopy.
In addition, the unit also cares for patients who undergo
procedures for the management of chronic pain, patients requiring
liver biopsy, and patients who require intravesical treatments
following urological surgery.
Also situated within the unit is the Physiology unit, where
patients attend to have various investigations including pH
manometry, anorectal physiology, biofeedback and breath testing for
malabsorption and Helicobacter infection
The unit is very busy, seeing up to 90 patients a day, the
majority of which are day cases. As a consequence we have a
multi-skilled workforce in order to meet patient needs. Our unit is
a learning environment and we have a key role in supporting the
development of medical and nursing students.
Our specialisms
Gastroenterology and Hepatology:
Our multidisciplinary team includes one Professor of
Gastroenterology, 5 Consultants in Gastroenterology and Hepatology,
and a number of supporting specialist nurses. We provide a regional
referral service for digestive disorders, which comprise diseases
of the gut and liver. Our diagnostic and interventional endoscopy
service includes gastroscopy, flexible sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy,
ERCP, and endoscopic ultrasound.
We provide a consultant-led 24 hour endoscopy service for acute
intestinal bleeding which is complemented by the provision of the
regional interventional radiology service for the treatment of
bleeding varices. In addition we have 3 dedicated high dependency
beds for acute intestinal bleeding.
Our areas of expertise include inflammatory bowel disease,
nutrition and intestinal failure, viral hepatitis, alcohol and
fatty liver disease, metabolic liver disease and cancers of the
liver. We are recognised both nationally and internationally for
our research into the causes and treatments of digestive
disorders.
Colorectal Unit:
This provides a complete diagnostic and interventional service
for Lower Gastrointestinal Disease. It is staffed by 4 dedicated
Colorectal Consultant Specialists. There is expertise for the
provision of diagnostic flexible sigmoidoscopy and colonoscopy. Our
prospectively collected results show that the completion rates and
comfort for these tests is above the national average and the
complication rate is low.
We also have a full interventional service to include
polypectomy, stricture dilatation and endoscopic mucosal resection.
There is unique expertise within this region providing endoscopic
ultrasound of large rectal polyps and early cancers. We also
provide a service to place stents into obstructing colorectal
cancers.
We have a history of training in colonoscopy and are in the
process of arranging a bid to become one of the National Bowel
Screening Centres.
There is a Regional Anorectal Physiology Laboratory which runs
along side our Service. This provides extensive investigation and
treatment of functional colorectal disorders particularly those
related to the pelvic floor.
Upper Gastro-intestinal and Hepato-biliary
surgery:
We provide a full range of diagnostic and therapeutic upper
gastro-intestinal endoscopy including ERCP, endoscopic ultrasound,
endoscopic stenting, endoscopic mucosal resection and Argon
ablation.
We were one of the first centres in the UK to employ endoscopic
ultrasound and now use this for the staging of oesophago-gastric
and pancreatic malignancy. In addition, endoscopic ultrasound is
helpful in the diagnosis (and occasional treatment) of complicated
benign pancreatic and biliary pathology.
We use argon ablation to treat upper gastro-intestinal vascular
lesions, benign and dysplastic Barrett's epithelium, early
malignant lesions of the upper gastrointestinal tract and bleeding
peptic ulcers.
We also treat gastric and duodenal polyps and mucosal lesions by
endoscopic mucosal resection, so avoiding the need for major open
surgery.
Laparoscopy and laparoscopic ultrasound is used in the day
surgery theatre for the assessment of patients with
oesophago-gastric, liver, biliary and pancreatic malignancy and
complex benign upper disease. We also perform laparoscopic
cholecystectomy and laparaoscopic bile duct exploration.
Contact us
Queen's Day Unit,
Level 4,
Queen's Building,
Bristol Royal Infirmary,
Marlborough Street,
BS2 8HY
Tel: 0117 342 0048
Patient information leaflets
Referral information for
clinicians
