Gastroenterology


University Pediatricians | Michigan

About the Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition Program

The Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition Program at Children's Hospital of Michigan is consistently ranked among America's best in the U.S. News & World Report for Pediatric Gastroenterology and GI Surgery Programs. The Division offers comprehensive medical care and diagnostic services to infants, children and adolescents with gastrointestinal, liver, pancreatic and nutritional disorders.


State-of-the-art technology for endoscopic procedures, breath hydrogen test, pH/impedance monitoring, capsule endoscopy, percutaneous gastrostomy tube placement, variceal banding, and sclerotherapy is available. In addition the Division offers motility studies including esophageal and anorectal manometry. Endoscopic procedures are performed in our state-of-the-art endoscopy suites at Children’s Hospital of Michigan's main campus and at Children’s Hospital of Michigan - Troy.


Leadership

Dr. Mohammad El-Baba is the Chief of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition. The Division includes 7 board-certified pediatric gastroenterologists, one board certified pediatric hepatologist, 6 clinical nurses, and 2 dietitians specialized in caring for children with a wide variety of common and rare gastrointestinal and liver disorders. All faculty have appointments at Central Michigan University College of Medicine and are actively involved in teaching medical students, residents and fellows.


Gastroenterology Specialized Clinical Programs

The Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition provides expertise to several interdisciplinary programs including: Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Program, Aerodigestive Disease Clinic, CHIRP Clinic, Eosinophilic Esophagitis Clinic, and Pediatric Liver Disease and Transplant Program. 

  • Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Program:

    Caring for more than 600 Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) patients (ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease and indeterminate colitis), this program offers a multidisciplinary approach in diagnosing and managing children and adolescents with inflammatory bowel diseases. The team involves a pediatric gastroenterologist, a dietician, an IBD nurse and a social worker. The team also includes pediatric surgeons, pathologists with expertise in diagnosing IBD and pediatric radiologists experienced in evaluating IBD. The team members also work closely with colleagues in the Divisions of Rheumatology, Hematology, Immunology, Genetics and Dermatology to manage IBD patients.

     

    The IBD transition program helps prepare teenagers and young adults with IBD to become independent, and eventually transition them from a pediatric to an adult gastroenterologist in a smooth and successful manner.

     

    The program has ongoing clinical research studies including active clinical trials and is a participating site for the DEVELOP Registry for Pediatric IBD patients.

  • Pediatric Liver Disease and Transplant Program:

    The Pediatric Liver Disease and Liver Transplant Program at Children’s Hospital of Michigan provides a continuum of care for children and teens with liver disease. From expert evaluation and medical management of liver disease such as elevated liver enzymes, autoimmune hepatitis and viral hepatitis and congenital liver disease and biliary atresia and neonatal cholestasis all the way to performing living-donor and deceased-donor liver transplantation.

     

    The physicians in the program are board certified in pediatric liver transplant and hepatology as well as pediatric gastroenterology with extensive experience in childhood liver disease and liver transplant with excellent support from nurse practitioners a clinical coordinator, dietitians, social workers and psychologists. The pediatric liver disease and liver transplant program is the only one of it's kind in metropolitan Detroit.


    Liver diseases patients can be seen at two locations: Children’s Hospital of Michigan in Midtown Detroit and Children's Hospital of Michigan - Troy.

  • Capsule Endoscopy

    When both endoscopy and colonoscopies fail to find the source of the GI-related concern, Children’s Hospital of Michigan’s Gastroenterology Department offers capsule endoscopy to diagnose conditions that are difficult to detect. It is a simple process in which the patient swallows a capsule that contains a tiny camera which takes images as it passes along the gastrointestinal tract. The collected images are then transferred wirelessly to an external receiver worn by the patient. After a few hours, the images are transferred to a computer for review and interpretation.


    A pediatric gastroenterologist might recommend a capsule endoscopy procedure to:

    • Determine the cause of unexplained gastrointestinal bleeding.
    • Evaluate patients with suspected Crohn’s disease
    • Diagnose small bowel tumors.
    • Screen for polyps.
    • Evaluate chronic abdominal pain of unknown etiology.
  • CHIRP Clinic

    Children’s Hospital Intestinal Rehabilitation Clinic (CHIRP) provides multidisciplinary care to children on parenteral support. Infants and children on IV nutrition or home TPN (Total Parenteral Nutrition) often require the care of pediatric specialists across a variety of disciplines. This specialized clinic currently provides care to more than 60 children, including 30 on home TPN.


    The clinic provides integrated, multidisciplinary care from a pediatric surgeon, gastroenterologist, pharmacist, dietitian, social worker, physical therapist, occupational therapist and nurse practitioner.

  • Pediatric Aerodigestive Clinic

    The Pediatric Aerodigestive Clinic (PAC) at the Children’s Hospital of Michigan sees children with a variety of airway, breathing and swallowing disorders, sleep apnea and related problems such as malnutrition and gastroesophageal reflux. The clinic is a multidisciplinary program held twice a month at the Children's Hospital of Michigan ENT Clinic.

     

    Pediatric specialists will meet with the child and their family so that a complete evaluation is performed. Clinicians may include pediatric specialists from the Divisions of Ear, Nose and Throat (Otolaryngology), Gastroenterology, Pulmonology, Craniofacial and Maxillofacial Surgery, Sleep Medicine, Speech Therapy, and Pediatric Surgery. Patients may require in office or operative procedures to determine an appropriate diagnostic and treatment plan.

     

    As a team, pediatric specialists will look at all of the child's current medications and treatments and develop a plan to minimize the number and extent of procedures required. The treatment plan may include changing the child's feeding regimen, adjusting medications, adding additional home therapies as well as surgical options. Each plan is tailored to the individual child and family.

     

    For further information on the Pediatric Aerodigestive Clinic or to set up an appointment call (313) 745-9126 or email Xhoana Kociaj, NP.

  • Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE) Clinic

    The Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE) Clinic at Children’s Hospital of Michigan is a multidisciplinary clinic with the Division of Gastroenterology, Division of Allergy and Immunology, Pediatric Pathology and a certified dietitian. The disease is characterized by elevated eosinophils in the esophagus and symptoms of difficulty swallowing, vomiting, and/or failure to thrive.

     

    This Clinic allows the patient to see multiple specialists in a single visit who can efficiently collaborate to form a care plan that encompasses all aspects of this complex disease.

Appointments with a pediatric gastroenterologist are available at six convenient Children's Hospital of Michigan locations throughout the metropolitan area.


Dearborn Specialty Center

25325 Ford Rd., Dearborn, MI 48187


Detroit Specialty Center

3950 Beaubien Blvd., 3rd Floor, Detroit, MI 48201


Canton Specialty Center

45250 Cherry Hill Rd., Canton, MI 48187


Stilson Specialty Center - Clinton Township

42700 Garfield Rd., Clinton Township, MI 48038


Alex J. Etkin Specialty Center - Southfield

29120 Franklin Rd., Southfield, MI 48034


Children's Hospital of Michigan - Troy

350 W. Big Beaver Rd., Troy, MI 48084


Pediatric Liver Disease appointments are available at two convenient locations:


Children's Hospital of Michigan

3901 Beaubien, 2nd Floor, Carls Bldg, Detroit, MI 48201


Children's Hospital of Michigan - Troy

350 W. Big Beaver Rd., Troy, MI 48084


Patients can make an appointment with a Pediatric Gastroenterologist by calling (313) 745-5585, and for the Liver Diseases Clinic by calling (313) 745-0651.


Faculty

Faculty


Advanced Practice Providers

  • Julie Eovaldi, NP

Want to learn more about our distinguished specialists? Click the button below to be taken to our Faculty Directory.

Faculty Directory →

Education

The Division offers a three-year fellowship training in pediatric gastroenterology accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and has ongoing clinical research studies to evaluate inflammatory bowel disease, eosinophilic esophagitis, and Helicobacter pylori infection.


For more information, please click here or on the button below.

Gastroenterology Fellowships →

Research

Recent Faculty Publications

  • Namir Al-Ansari, MD

    • Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome in Children: A Review of the Literature Acad J Gastroenterol & Hepatol. 2020 April
  • Kristen Cares, MD

    • Cares, K, Klein M, Thomas R, El-Baba M. Rectal Prolapse in Children: An Update to Causes, Clinical Presentation, and Management.  JPGN 2020 Feb; 70(2):243-246.
    • Fu Y, Thomas R, Cares K. Influence of Family History on Children with Irritable Bowel Syndrome. JPGN. Approved Dec 22 2020, Pending publication: JPGN-20-752R2.
    • Ali F, Lee J, Cares K.  11-year-old Presenting with Intermittent Abdominal Pain. Gastroenterology. Approved Dec 30 2020, Pending publication: Gastro-D-20-03607.
  • Mohammad F. El-Baba, MD

    • Suryaprakash S, El-Baba M, Walkovich KJ, Savasan S. Expanding clinical spectrum of female X-linked lymphoproliferative syndrome 2. Pediatr Blood Cance. July 2020.[Online ahead of print]. PMID: 32686289
  • Tony Lulgjuraj, MD

    • Symal, S., Hinshaw, A., Lulgjuraj, T. The Great Escape: The Surprising Finding in a Case of Acute Vomiting. Gastroenterology. Accepted In Press October 6, 2020. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1053/j.gastro.2020.09.051
  • Salman Salman, MD

    • A Celiac Care Index Improves Care of Pediatric Patients Newly Diagnosed with Celiac Disease. Sparks B, Salman S, Shull M, Trout A, Kiel A, Hill I, Ediger T, Boyle B. J Pediatr. 2020 Jan; 216:32-36.e2. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2019.09.071. Epub 2019 Nov 6. PMID: 31706635

Recent Faculty Abstracts/Presentations (National)

  • Kristen Cares, MD

    • North American Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology Hepatology and Nutrition Annual Meeting, virtual. “Risk of functional constipation in children with history of infantile cow’s milk protein allergy.” (Mentor), 2020.

Recent Faculty Grants

  • Kristen Cares, MD

    Role: Primary Investigator, Percent effort: 80% 

    Title: “AN OPEN-LABEL, MULTICENTER STUDY TO EVALUATE THE PHARMACOKINETICS OF SINGLE AND MULTIPLE INTRAVENOUS DOSES OF PANTOPRAZOLE IN TWO AGE COHORTS OF HOSPITALIZED PEDIATRIC SUBJECTS 1 TO 16 YEARS OF AGE WHO ARE CANDIDATES FOR ACID SUPPRESSION THERAPY? Source: Parexel International May 2017-Fall 2020. Total Direct Costs: $30,772.18 


    Role: Primary Investigator, Percent effort 80% 

    Title: “Infliximab Proactive Drug Monitoring in the Pediatric IBD Population” Assessing if proactive drug monitoring of the drug, infliximab, will prevent exacerbation in patients with IBD. Source: Children’s Hospital of Michigan Foundation April 2019-present Total direct costs: $79,055

  • Mohammad F. El-Baba, MD

    Title: “Infliximab Proactive Drug Monitoring in the Pediatric IBD Population” 

    Role: Co-PI. Source: The Children’s Hospital of Michigan Foundation 

    Date: May 2019- Present 



Recent Faculty Awards & Other Professional Accomplishments

  • Kristen Cares, MD

    Awards:

    • Hour Magazine "Top Doc" 2020

    Other Professional Accomplishments:

    • Grand Rounds, Hurley Hospital, Flint MI. "The Significance of Gluten: Celiac Disease and Beyond". September 2020. 
    • Presented “How to be a Warrior” at the annual IBD Update hosted by Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation. October 2020. 
    • Medical advisor for the Michigan Chapter of Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation. Meet quarterly to discuss scholarly updates, conferences, legislature, and future directions for the Foundation. In addition we host conferences, provide educational lectures to pediatric gastroenterologists and families, which is mostly done on weekends and evenings. Jan 2020-present. 
    • Pediatric gastroenterology medical advisor for the IBD Virtual payer/provider Roundtable with IBD specialists across Michigan and payers to improve access to quality care. Nov 2020
  • Mohammad F. El-Baba MD

    Awards:

    • Hour Magazine "Top Doc" 2020 

    Other Professional Accomplishments:

    • Reviewer for "Pediatrics" 
    • Reviewer for "Pediatrics in Review" 
    • Reviewer for “Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology & Nutrition” 
  • Tony Lulgjuraj, MD

    Other Professional Accomplishments:

    • Appointed director of endoscopy – Oct 2020 
    • Appointed associated director of IBD program – June 2020 
    • Regional talk: Lulgjuraj, T. Health maintenance in IBD. Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation, Michigan Chapter. IBD Webinar Series. October 2020. Detroit, MI 
    • Guest lecturer – CHM residency program – Inflammatory bowel disease and Journal Club 
    • CMU special topics mentor 
    • Wayne state university M3 clinical coach 
    • Ad Hoc reviewer for Gastroenterology
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