Interventional endoscopy procedures use flexible camera-equipped endoscopes—sometimes integrated with ultrasound—to diagnose and treat complex disorders of the digestive tract using minimally invasive, surgery-sparing techniques. Under the leadership of Dr. Gene Ma of KP Greater San Jose Area and Dr. Christopher Hamerski of KP San Francisco, a team of highly skilled endoscopists now provides these state-of-the-art endoscopy techniques to patients across KP Northern California at specialty centers at Fresno, Sacramento, San Francisco, and San Jose.
As TPMG associate lead (Dr. Ma) and regional lead (Dr. Hamerski) for interventional endoscopy, they developed new workflows for referring patients to the Interventional Endoscopy Program and quickly transferring them to the closest specialty center for treatment, providing improved access to advanced endoscopy for patients across the region. Over a 5-year period, advanced endoscopy procedures increased 267 percent across KP Northern California, to about 5,000 annually.
The program delivers cutting-edge, minimally invasive, interventional endoscopy for complex gastrointestinal conditions—many previously deemed untreatable—such as endoscopic resection of early cancers, palliation of malignant obstructions, intervention for biliary and pancreatic issues, and “third space” procedures inside the gastrointestinal tract wall. Several complicated procedures that had been routinely referred out to academic centers are now performed primarily within the KP system.
Dedicated mentors, Drs. Ma and Hamerski created a regional quarterly case forum and expanded TPMG’s fellowship training in interventional endoscopy. The broader availability of surgery-sparing endoscopic procedures across KP Northern California has shortened hospital stays for patients with complicated gastrointestinal conditions from 14 days to 5 days on average, reduced complications, and lowered mortality in an especially vulnerable population of patients.
“Whether innovating their practice or evaluating emerging technologies, they remain deeply attuned to how these interventions can be responsibly integrated to serve the broader community,” says Smita Rouillard, MD, TPMG associate executive director.