Dr. Ayesha Cheema is a Primary Care Doctor with Mercy Personal Physicians at Columbia. She offers experienced and thoughtful primary care for adults of Howard County.
Inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD, includes disorders that cause inflammation of the intestines. IBD is treated at Mercy by expert gastroenterologists.
The surgeons of The Center for Minimally Invasive Surgery at Mercy treat a variety of conditions including gallbladder disease, gallstones, hernia, colon cancer and GERD.
Mercy offers emergency care on the Downtown Baltimore campus 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (410-332-9477) with access to a trained emergency medicine team, diagnostic services and consultations with specialists.
In case of an Emergency, Dial 911 and follow the instructions of the EMS (Emergency Medical Services) team.
Mercy Medical Center's downtown campus includes our Main Hospital - The Mary Catherine Bunting Center, McAuley Plaza and The Weinberg Center.
General visiting hours at Mercy are 11:00 am to 8:30 pm. Hours vary by floor, please check with the nursing staff or call 410-332-9555.
Dr. Patrick Hyatt and Dr. Scott Huber, at The Center for Heartburn and Reflux Disease at Mercy, diagnose and treat esophagus disorders, including esophageal cancer. Our doctors understand that a cancer diagnosis can be frightening, so they work with each patient to provide individualized treatment options for esophageal cancer.
Esophageal cancer is caused by the abnormal growth of cells that form a tumor in the esophagus, the tube that connects the throat to the stomach. Chronic acid reflux, heavy alcohol and tobacco use, diet low in fruits and vegetables, obesity, and rare medical conditions, such as Barrett’s esophagus, can damage the cells causing them to grow abnormally anywhere in the esophagus. Patients diagnosed with any esophagus disease are monitored to alleviate abnormal growths before they can become cancerous.
Esophageal cancer symptoms often are not present until late in the cancer process. Trouble swallowing and a sensation of food being caught in the throat or chest are common esophageal cancer symptoms. Other esophageal cancer symptoms can include heartburn, indigestion, chest pain, or weight loss.
Barrett’s esophagus is a precancerous condition of the esophagus and increases the risk of cancer. Patients with Barrett’s esophagus should be monitored closely for the development of esophageal cancer.
An esophageal cancer diagnosis can be made by performing:
Esophageal cancer is treated using surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, or a combination of the treatment options. The cancer stage and the patient’s overall health helps determine the extent of surgery needed. Surgery for esophageal cancer can involve the removal of:
Part of the physician team of The Center for Heartburn and Reflux Disease, Dr. Patrick Hyatt is a gastroenterologist who treats diseases of the esophagus.
A patient of a team of Mercy doctors shares his struggle with achalasia, a condition that makes swallowing difficult.