The Lower GI Unit: Specialising in the treatment of colorectal conditions
41 Welbeck Street , London, W1G 8DU
Welcome to the Lower GI Unit at the London Digestive Centre
The Lower GI Unit is a team of highly specialised colorectal surgeons from the UK’s top teaching hospitals. Our consultants have a broad range of experience and expertise and can treat conditions from the simple to the complex. They work closely with physiologists, surgeons and oncologists within the London Digestive Centre in a multidisciplinary setting to provide an exceptional level of care. With some of the most advanced testing and treatment facilities available, patients can benefit from fast, on site diagnosis and comprehensive care.
Why choose us?
The highest standards
Our lower GI consultants offer patients the highest standard of surgical care with exceptional clinical, diagnostic and technical expertise.
Minimally invasive techniques
Minimally invasive treatment options often have patient benefits that include faster recovery times and better outcomes. Our consultants use the latest technology to ensure our patients get the best care.
Experience with complex cases
We have the clinical expertise and infrastructure to diagnose and treat the full breadth of GI conditions, no matter how complex.
What symptoms should I look out for?
There are several symptoms that may indicate you need to test for problems with your lower GI tract, including cancers or conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome. Not all symptoms indicate a serious problem, but if they’re causing you distress or are affecting your day-to-day life, we can often diagnose common conditions with simple tests.
✔ Cramping
✔ Abdominal pain, discomfort or tenderness
✔ Changes in bowel habits
✔ Weight loss
✔ Anal fissures
✔ Bloating
✔ Weakness or lethargy
✔ Rectal bleeding
Our expertise at the Lower GI Unit
Below is an explanation of some of the conditions we treat and the treatments we offer, but if you have any questions or want to discuss anything in detail, please call us on 020 7908 8003
-
Inflammatory bowel disease
Need to know
Inflammatory bowel disease refers to inflammation of the gut. It includes the conditions ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. Symptoms to be aware of are weight loss and diarrhoea. Whilst anyone can be affected, it usually occurs between the ages of 15 to 40. Your consultant gastroenterologist...
-
Colorectal and Bowel cancer
Need to know
Colorectal cancer affects the large bowel, which is made up of the colon and rectum. Screening can help diagnose colorectal cancer as early as possible, and in some cases detect cancer before you start to display symptoms. Early detection means treatment is likely to be more effective.
-
Abdominal wall reconstruction
Need to know
Abdominal wall reconstruction (AWR) can be recommended when the muscles and tissues supporting the abdomen are weakened or destroyed. This is often as a result of a damaged area or infection caused by previous surgery on hernias. This treatment can also be helpful after surgery for the removal of cancers,...
-
Crohns disease
Need to know
Crohn's disease is an inflammation of the gastrointestinal (digestive) tract. It's a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), like ulcerative colitis (UC). Unlike ulcerative colitis, Crohn's can affect any part of your digestive tract, from your mouth to your back passage. It's fairly common, affecting...
-
Ulcerative colitis
Need to know
Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an inflammation of part of the gastrointestinal (digestive) tract, usually beginning in the rectum (where faeces are stored) and colon (large intestine). It's one of the two main types of inflammatory bowel disease (the other is Crohn's). UC tends to start in young people...
Treatments we offer
✔ Home parenteral nutrition
✔ Component separation/Chemical component separation
✔ Transversus abdominis release (TAR)
✔ External oblique release (EOR)
✔ Hyperthermic Intra-Peritoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC)
✔ Pelvic exenteration surgery
✔ Kono-S Anatstomosis
✔ Perioperative nutrition
An integrated approach to complex care
With complex conditions, a fully integrated, whole-team approach ensures that a patient gets the best care possible. A multidisciplinary team involves experts from across medical specialties and clinical disciplines, meaning any treatment plan is robustly scrutinised from all angles.
Every day at the Lower GI Unit, our experts come together to share their expertise and offer the best, most appropriate combination of surgical, non-surgical and lifestyle management approaches available. Our patient-centred approach places you at the heart of everything we do.
Our patients can be confident that we offer access to the best experts in facilities rated 'Outstanding' by the CQC.
London Digestive Centre
Our Lower GI Unit is part of a larger, specialist digestive centre with access to world-renowned clinical experts in every field of gastrointestinal care – from the most common to the more complex.
Imaging and diagnostics
We have imaging and testing facilities on site, including MRI, CT and ultrasound, patients can expect a quick turnaround for results. Where possible, we arrange for tests, imaging and consultations to happen on the same day to make it as convenient as possible.
The Endoscopy Centre
Our Endoscopy Centre at The Princess Grace Hospital is a centre of excellence for the diagnosis and treatment of conditions of the gastrointestinal tract. Our experienced endoscopy teams are dedicated to delivering personalised care, tailored to your condition.
Our consultants
With international reputations in their fields, our consultants are highly regarded for their pioneering research and excellent clinical outcomes. Many of them have positions at London’s world-renowned teaching hospitals and bring this unique expertise with them.
Colorectal
Get in touch
Contact us if you would like to book an appointment, our ream can also answer any enquiries about the services we provide.
Call us on
020 7908 8003