The Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases works closely with the Department of Surgery, seeing a vast number and array of patients with pancreaticobiliary diseases - disorders of the pancreas, gall bladder, and bile ducts. In particular, the division faculty have developed a national reputation for evaluating and treating patients with pancreatic cancer. They provide a strong multidisciplinary approach, including a weekly clinical review and discussion with surgeons as well as radiologists and oncologists with regard to all new patients.
The advanced services provide state-of-the-art endoscopic diagnostic and therapeutic intervention for patients with these disorders. A great number of interventional biliary tract endoscopies are performed along with stenting. Hundreds of endoscopic ultrasounds are done yearly for the evaluation and treatment of pancreatic lesions and cysts. The latter area has become a strong venue for clinical and translational research resulting in several publications.
The goals are to increase the number of services provided, so as to accommodate the needs of our community and region. UCLA continues to be recognized as one of the most respected pancreaticobiliary diseases programs in the nation.
