ESD History
Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection was originally developed in Japan in the 1990s for treating early gastric cancers. It was subsequently adopted for use in other areas of the digestive tract, such as the esophagus and colon. ESD provides minimally invasive removal of pre-cancer and early cancers in the digestive tract and potentially avoids extensive surgeries.
Dr. Yutaka Tomizawa completed formal digestive endoscopy training in Japan before moving to the U.S., with a focus on the endoscopic management of early gastrointestinal cancer. While in Japan, he worked with some of the world's leading experts in advanced endoscopy, and he trained with ESD.
Dr. Tomizawa offers comprehensive luminal tissue resection for patients with pre-cancer and early cancer in the digestive tract (esophagus, stomach, and colon), by performing Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection (ESD).
ESD expertise is still very limited in the United States. Dr. Tomizawa is one of a few gastroenterologists on the West Coast who provide ESD to patients.
Appointment & Referrals for ESD
- All referrals for consideration of ESD should be directed to Dr. Yutaka Tomizawa.
- Please specify the purpose of referral (ESD).
- Send a referral via Fax to 206-744-6095, ATTN: Dr. Tomizawa and Kriti Stewart (ESD scheduling coordinator).
- If any questions arise regarding a referral, call 206-744-3419, option 1.
Upon referral receipt, each referral will be reviewed by Dr. Tomizawa, and the appropriate triage will be made. The patient is usually first scheduled for a clinic visit to discuss the procedure. If necessary, we will perform additional endoscopic test(s) to ensure that we make the best treatment decisions together.