SpyGlass cholangioscopy
We provide a private SpyGlass cholangioscopy service. The advanced SpyGlass cholangioscopy system enables your specialist to diagnose and manage bile duct disease safely and accurately.
Quick facts
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Fast referral
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What is it for?
Procedure to investigate and diagnose bile duct disease
Overview
The SpyGlass single-operator cholangioscopy system (SOC) allows your gastroenterologist to diagnose and successfully treat bile duct disease with a 83-93% success rate.
Bile duct disease can take the form of narrowing or blockage of the tubes that take bile and pancreatic juices to the intestine.
SpyGlass cholangioscopy is a new, state-of-the-art endoscopy procedure that can:
- Safely break up and remove large gallstones (bile duct stones)
- Safely break up hard to reach stones in the pancreatic ducts
- Investigate cancerous and non-cancerous tumours
- Take tissue samples (biopsies)
- Managenarrowing (stenosis) of the bile ducts
One of our highly trained specialists will carry out your procedure in our private, state-of-the-art endoscopy unit near Harley Street.
By choosing The London Clinic, you’ll get a more compassionate and connected kind of care, from enhanced pre-admission through to aftercare and follow up.
Contact us today, so you can start your treatment journey and get back to the life you love.
Why choose The London Clinic
Excellence in one place
We operate as teams of experts with world-class resources dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of medical care. You are surrounded by the latest treatments and advice with everything you need to get back to your best health.
Personal care, every time
Exceptional patient care is a way of life for us. Our nurses, clinicians and support teams are dedicated to the care of a very small number of patients, so have more time for you. They’ll be with you every step of the way, tailoring your care around you and giving the peace-of-mind that comes with knowing you’re in the best hands.
Effortlessly simple
We work together as one to guide you through each step of your experience, with complexities unravelled and answers readily to hand. Your personal treatment plan will be laid out for you, with all the details taken care of so you can focus on you.
What's included in your package?
Choosing The London Clinic means your treatment plan will be laid out for you, with all the details taken care of so you can focus on you.
Your treatment package will include:
- Enhanced pre-admission assessment
- Your treatment with our complete care team at your fingertips
- Personalised aftercare and follow-up
We want you to be in control of your health. That’s why we also offer optional services such as comprehensive recovery packages and extra touches for you to choose from during your stay with us.
How to pay
- You can use private medical insurance (PMI) to access this treatment. We work with all major PMI providers in the UK and many internationally
- You can pay for yourself (self-pay)
- If you’re paying for yourself, we have finance options available with Chrysalis
FAQs
At The London Clinic SpyGlass cholangioscopy is a same-day procedure that is performed after you are put to sleep using general anaesthetic.
Your gastroenterologist begins by gently placing a 3mm thin, camera-tipped flexible tube, called an endoscope into the bile ducts (tubes) of your pancreas and gallbladder through your mouth.
During the procedure, the SpyGlass relays high-quality images of your bile ducts to a computer screen in real time.
The Spyglass allows your gastroenterologist to accurately identify cancerous and benign (noncancerous) tumours and take tissue samples (biopsies) from the ducts.
If there are stones blocking the ducts in your pancreas or gallbladder, your specialist will use a small Electrohydraulic lithotripsy (EHL) probe attached to the SpyGlass to safely remove them.
If you have a narrowing (stenosis) of the ducts your gastroenterologist may implant a balloon or stent to keep them open.
After the procedure, your care team will take you to the recovery suite, so they can safely monitor you, until you wake up.
You may feel drowsy for up to twenty four hours after the procedure, so we will help ensure that you have safe transportation to get home.
The SpyGlass cholangioscopy procedure allows your gastroenterologist to diagnose and treat you for bile duct disease safely and effectively.
Your gastroenterologist may suggest you have a SpyGlass cholangioscopy if they can’t treat or diagnose your symptoms with an endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) procedure alone.
A SpyGlass cholangioscopy procedure can reduce the need for more complex surgery in the future.
Because a SpyGlass cholangioscopy is minimally invasive you should recover fairly quickly.
For the first twenty four hours you must avoid driving or operating machinery.
Most people find they can go back to work and carry on with normal activities a couple of days after the procedure.
The procedure under anaesthetic is fairly pain-free, but you may have some slight abdominal discomfort for a day or two afterwards.
Your care team will advise you on aftercare and how you can look after yourself following the procedure.
A small number of patients may experience a reaction to the procedure which includes inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis) and bile duct region (cholangitis).
Your endoscopy care team at The London Clinic are highly trained in SpyGlass cholangioscopy and will work together to ensure your procedure goes as smoothly as possible.
At The London Clinic, the gastroenterologists who offer Spyglass cholangioscopy are world leaders in their field.
During your same day procedure, your dedicated care team will look after you and make sure you have everything you need.
Your SpyGlass cholangioscopy procedure will take place in one of our private state-of-the-art endoscopy theatres near Harley Street.
To make you feel more comfortable while you’re with us, we offer extra touches like a concierge service.
Once you’re ready to leave The London Clinic, we’ll give you advice to follow to make sure you recover safely at home.