Dr. James Maher is your resident gastroenterologist at the Katy TX Endoscopy Center. James Maher, M.D., is Board-Certified in Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine. He has experience working on all sorts of digestion or stomach problems. His entire team dedicates themselves to providing you with the best possible gastroenterology healthcare, from diagnosis to treatment.

About Your Area Gastroenterologist

James Maher, M.D., started his medical school education at the University of Michigan. However, he soon sought warmer climates by transferring to the Medical College of Virginia. There, Dr. Maher graduated at an accelerated pace. After, he completed his residency in Internal Medicine at the University of California-Irvine. Dr. Maher moved onto the University of Southern California. There, he did a year-long Fellowship Hepatology. Dr. Maher returned to the University of California-Irvine for a two-year Fellowship in Gastroenterology.

For our patients’ sake, Dr. Maher went above and beyond in his education. To this day, he continues this rigorous training. James Maher, M.D., regularly takes continuing education courses and recertifications. To upkeep his responsibility as your Katy TX endoscopy center, he stays up-to-date on all gastrointestinal knowledge.

Our office specializes in plenty of gastronomic conditions. We can help with IBS, inflammatory bowel disease, biliary tract disease, colon cancers, and endoscopic procedures. Our team covers far more, though. Whatever your issue is, we can take care of it all the way through.

This team’s philosophy is that patient care and patient education are of the utmost importance. The better you understand your condition and treatment, the better you can communicate what you need. If you ever need us to slow down to explain, then do not hesitate to stop and ask.

Your Gastronomic Services

At our Katy TX endoscopy center, we perform many treatments and procedures and help with many conditions. Endoscopies are only one. Here is a couple of other of our primary services. But you can continue to browse our site to learn how we can help you.

An Upper GI Endoscopy

EGDs are a broad category of procedures. They help diagnose problems in the digestive tract. It stands for esophagogastroduodenoscopy and deals with the whole system, esophagus, stomach, duodenum, and small intestine. It includes procedures like colonoscopies and endoscopies. An upper GI endoscopy will deal specifically with the upper digestive tract.

The procedure consists of sending a tiny camera on the end of a long, thin, flexible tube down your digestive tract. We use this to look for problems causing your symptoms. Many symptoms can call for, and many conditions can be diagnosed through an upper GI endoscopy. For instance, nausea, abdominal pain, heartburn, vomiting, and swallowing problems could mean an endoscopy. We would first go through some more straightforward preliminary tests, but after ruling other conditions out, we resort to an upper GI procedure.

When you come to your Katy TX endoscopy center. We are going to ask a couple of things from you to prepare. While it is one of the safest procedures that any doctor performs, we are going to sedate you during the process. Because of the sedation, you will feel drowsy and dizzy. Further, you’ll likely experience impaired judgment. You need to bring a designated driver with you to get you home. We will also be looking through your digestive tract. Because of this, we need you to fast for the eight hours preceding the procedure.

GERD (Gastroesophageal Redux Disease)

Many people today are familiar with GERD. It is a fairly common condition. GERD stands for Gastroesophageal Redux Disease. It basically amounts to a more severe form of acid reflux. We define it as mild reflux occurring at least twice a week or severe reflux once a week. The repeated backwash of stomach acid up the throat causes severe damage to the lining of the esophagus.

Mild GERD can be handled by many. Through the use of over-the-counter medications and changing their diet, they can keep it in check. However, if you are suffering from severe GERD, then do not hesitate to get it checked at your Katy TX endoscopy center. We are able to offer more powerful prescriptions and other treatment plans.

Helicobacter Pylori Infection

One of the most common conditions that call for an endoscopy is a stomach bacteria infection. It is incredibly widespread. Experts estimate that half the world’s population is walking around with Helicobacter pylori living in their stomachs. People are usually infected in childhood. They can go their whole lives without knowing, but, in old age, especially after 65, it starts posing severe dangers.

Several conditions put people more at risk of catching the infection. For instance, living in a densely populated city in a developing area and without a clean water source is the perfect storm. However, the largest risk is living near someone who is infected. However, we cannot attempt to predict who has it based on these factors because of how many people in the world do have it.

If the infection goes untreated for too long, it can cause serious problems. Symptoms can include nausea, loss of appetite, unintentional weight loss, frequent burping, and bloating. Trouble swallowing or black and tarry or bloody stools or vomit means you should seek immediate medical attention at your Katy TX endoscopy center.

For diagnosis, we have several preliminary tests: blood, stool, breath, scope. After we rule out any other possibilities for your symptoms, you can utilize our Katy TX endoscopy center. For the treatment of Helicobacter pylori, we prescribe a couple of antibiotics simultaneously and a stomach acid-suppressing drug. These will keep the bacteria from becoming resistant to either one and give your stomach a chance to heal.

Katy TX Endoscopy Center

If you are experiencing gastrointestinal distress or suffering from unknown digestive problems, contact us today. You can reach our office by calling (281) 945-5190 or fill out our online form. Then, we can set up an appointment as soon as possible. That way, we can get your condition diagnosed and treated. Dr. Maher has the best working Katy TX endoscopy center in the area.

Katy Texas Fun Facts

We have ten parks, including Heritage Park, best known for its restored buildings.
While our primary industry is rice, we are also known for peanuts, cotton, and gas.
Our original name was “Cane Island,” named after the creek running through it.
“Old Town Katy” is our downtown area. It has many specialty stores, antique shops, and restaurants.
For more on Katy, visit https://www.cityofkaty.com/about.