Gastroenterologists for Colonoscopy in Athens

Interventional gastroenterologist Konstantopoulos Panagiotis, after many years of professional experience abroad, has been the scientific director of the Gastroenterological Endoscopic Unit at the Athens Medical Residence since April 2022. During his stay in the Netherlands, he worked as a consultant at ADRZ Goes hospital where he performed over 3,000 endoscopies and had the opportunity to specialize in innovative techniques for the removal of large gastrointestinal polyps (endoscopic mucosal resection, chromoendoscopy) using advanced artificial intelligence devices. He served as a member of the scientific board of Admiraal De Ruyter Ziekenhuis hospital in the Netherlands as well as being responsible for scientific protocols and the endoscopy department, head of the outpatient gastroenterology clinics at Admiraal De Ruyter Ziekenhuis hospital, where he managed a large number of cases with inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis) as well as numerous patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease – Barrett's esophagus, irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, and hemorrhoids. Following successful examinations at St. Antonius Ziekenhuis University Hospital in Utrecht, he was appointed responsible for screening the Dutch population for colorectal cancer (Bevolkingonderzoek accredited). The physician has participated in numerous conferences in Greece and abroad, is a member of scientific societies in Greece and the Netherlands, has a large number of publications in reputable medical journals in Greece and internationally, and has been a member of the Athens Medical Association since 2001, upon graduation from Medical School.

Karatzas Pantelis is a Gastroenterologist who maintains a private practice in the Ampelokipoi area. He completed his doctoral dissertation at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and holds a Medical degree from the same university. He received advanced training in Gastrointestinal Endoscopy at the University of Hamburg, Germany, and specialized in Gastroenterology at "Evangelismos" Hospital and in General Pathology at the General Hospital of Chalkida. He is a university fellow at the University Gastroenterology Clinic of the General Hospital of Athens "Laiko" and has served as a scientific collaborator at the University Hepatogastroenterology-Endoscopy Unit of the University General Hospital “Attikon.” Furthermore, he is a member of numerous scientific societies, has attended numerous Greek and international conferences, participated in many specialized seminars, and has publications and written presentations both in Greece and abroad.

Dr. Stefanos Tarazis is a Gastroenterologist – Hepatologist, MD, PhD, with extensive experience in clinical gastroenterology and interventional endoscopy. He first graduated from the Faculty of Pharmacy at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, before completing his Medical Degree at the University of Ioannina. In 1997, he obtained his PhD from the Medical School of the University of Athens and received his specialization in Gastroenterology the same year. Later, in 2022, he also earned a specialization in Clinical Pharmacology. He completed his subspecialty training in Interventional Endoscopy at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading, United Kingdom.Dr. Tarazis began his professional career at the Rural Medical Clinic of Derviziana in Ioannina and went on to train in Internal Medicine at the General Hospital of Patission and in Gastroenterology at the NIMTS Hospital in Athens. During his time in the UK, he served as H. Registrar at the Royal Berkshire Hospital, gaining advanced clinical and endoscopic expertise. Since 1998, he has been practicing as a private gastroenterologist in Athens. From 2005 to 2015, he served as a Scientific Associate at Evangelismos Hospital, and since 2015, he has held the position of Director of Clinical Trials and Adverse Drug Reactions at the National Organization for Medicines (EOF). In addition, since 1999, he has been a consulting physician at Mediterraneo Hospital.He is a member of the Athens Medical Association, the Hellenic Gastroenterological Society, the Hellenic Inflammatory Bowel Disease Study Group, and the UK General Medical Council (GMC). He speaks English and French fluently. His private practice is located at 34 Efthroniou Street, behind the Caravel Hotel in Athens, where he sees patients by appointment daily.

Mparmpounakis Panagiotis is a Gastroenterologist - Hepatologist with private practices in Neo Psychiko and Salamina. Additionally, he sees patients at the outpatient clinics of Iatriko Psychiko and Iatriko Palaio Faliro (Athens Medical Group). His extensive studies in Greece and abroad, combined with his personal dedication to the patient's problem, ensure excellent provision of medical care and management of health issues. The physician's long-term involvement and experience in gastroenterology, digestive oncology, idiopathic inflammatory bowel diseases (Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis), continuous scientific updating, and his distinguished team of collaborators enable proper management of a wide range of gastroenterological conditions. He performs advanced endoscopic, diagnostic, interventional, and therapeutic techniques such as Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) application in Barrett's esophagus, a method that essentially revolutionizes its treatment, endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR), magnifying endoscopy, high-definition chromoendoscopy for the prevention and early diagnosis of early cancer and precancerous conditions in the digestive system, and Narrow Band Imaging (NBI). More specifically, he performs endoscopic application of Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) in Barrett's esophagus, cauterization - endoscopic hemostasis of upper and lower gastrointestinal lesions with Argon Plasma Coagulation (APC), small bowel examination with wireless PILL CAM capsule, gastroscopy - CLO Test for Helicobacter pylori detection, liver and biliary diseases, anemia investigation, celiac disease screening, treatment of malabsorption syndrome, diagnosis and treatment of idiopathic inflammatory bowel diseases.

Η Βικτώρια Θώδου, MD,PhD, είναι Γαστρεντερολόγος – Ηπατολόγος με εξειδίκευση στην επεμβατική ενδοσκόπηση ανώτερου – κατώτερου πεπτικού και χοληφόρων αγγείων.Γεννημένη και μεγαλωμένη σε αθηναϊκό προάστιο, η γιατρός εισήχθη με Πανελλαδικές Εξετάσεις στην Ιατρική Σχολή του Πανεπιστημίου Αθηνών το 2005, από όπου αποφοίτησε μετά από εξαετή φοίτηση.Αμέσως μετά την αποφοίτησή της, το 2011, μετέβη στη Γερμανία και συγκεκριμένα στο Πανεπιστήμιο του Έσσεν (Universitätsklinikum Essen), ονομαστό πανεπιστημιακό νοσοκομείο και το μεγαλύτερο μεταμοσχευτικό κέντρο ήπατος της Γερμανίας, για την ειδίκευσή της αρχικά στη Γενική Παθολογία, τον τίτλο της οποίας απέκτησε το 2017.Το 2020, ενώ ήδη διατελούσε χρέη επιμελήτριας στην ίδια κλινική, απέκτησε και τον τίτλο της Γαστρεντερολογίας και Ηπατολογίας.Κατά την εκπαίδευσή της μαθήτευσε δίπλα στον ονομαστό καθηγητή Univ.-Prof. Dr. Alexander Dechêne, σε διαγνωστικές αλλά και επεμβατικές πράξεις. Από το 2019 ξεκίνησε τις ενδοσκοπικές εφημερίες επείγουσας γαστρεντερολογίας παίδων και ενηλίκων, στο πλαίσιο των οποίων απέκτησε μεγάλη εμπειρία στην αντιμετώπιση επειγόντων περιστατικών σε ενήλικες (αιμορραγία ανώτερου και κατώτερου πεπτικού, στάση βλωμού, παραλυτικός ειλεός από κοπρόσταση, χολαγγειίτιδα), αλλά και σε βρέφη – παιδιά (αιμορραγία ανώτερου και κατώτερου πεπτικού, στάση βλωμού, κατάποση ξένου σώματος).Παράλληλα, συνεργάστηκε με τον διευθυντή της κλινικής, καθηγητή Univ.-Prof. Dr. med. Heiner Wedemeyer, παγκόσμιας φήμης και αναγνώρισης καθηγητή ηπατολογίας, ως βασική εκπρόσωπος – συνεργάτις του στα προσωπικά του εξωτερικά ιατρεία ηπατολογίας.Στα ανεξάρτητα εξωτερικά ιατρεία του πανεπιστημίου εργάστηκε πολυετώς, ασχολούμενη κυρίως με ηπατολογικά περιστατικά, καθώς και με φλεγμονώδεις νόσους του εντέρου και με μεταμοσχευμένους ήπατος.Στο διδακτικό της έργο περιλαμβάνεται η θεωρητική και πρακτική εκπαίδευση των φοιτητών της Ιατρικής Σχολής του Πανεπιστημίου του Έσσεν και των ειδικευομένων στη Γαστρεντερολογία.Με αυτά τα εφόδια, εξειδικεύτηκε για δύο ακόμη χρόνια στο καθολικό κρατικό νοσοκομείο του Έσσεν, Huyssenstift, κέντρο αναφοράς γενικής χειρουργικής και ογκολογίας, σε βαριές επεμβατικές ενδοσκοπικές πράξεις όπως ERCP και EUS.Στο ακαδημαϊκό της έργο, πέρα από τη διδακτορική της διατριβή στις ιογενείς ηπατίτιδες, συγκαταλέγονται αρκετές δημοσιεύσεις, κυρίως στον τομέα της ηπατολογίας (με βράβευση εργασίας σε πανγερμανικό συνέδριο), καθώς και η συμμετοχή σε πολυκεντρικές μελέτες.Αποτελεί τακτικό μέλος της Ευρωπαϊκής Εταιρείας Γαστρεντερολογικής Ενδοσκόπησης (ESGE), της Γερμανικής Εταιρείας Γαστρεντερολογίας και Μεταβολικών Νοσημάτων (DGVS), της Ελληνικής Γαστρεντερολογικής Εταιρείας (ΕΓΕ) και της Επαγγελματικής Ένωσης Γαστρεντερολόγων Ελλάδος (ΕΠΕΓΕ).Συμμετέχει όλα αυτά τα χρόνια σε διεθνή επιστημονικά συνέδρια που αφορούν τη Γαστρεντερολογία και την Ηπατολογία, και ιδιαίτερα το επεμβατικό τους μέρος.Από το καλοκαίρι του 2023, ύστερα από υπερδεκαετή παραμονή στη Γερμανία, επιστρέφει στη γενέτειρά της, δραστηριοποιούμενη στο Ιατρικό Κέντρο Αθηνών με τον τίτλο της Αναπληρώτριας Διευθύντριας της Β΄ Γαστρεντερολογικής Κλινικής, ενώ συνεργάζεται και με την Κλινική του Ψυχικού.Προς διατήρηση των ακαδημαϊκών της δραστηριοτήτων,συνεργάζεται επίσης με την πανεπιστημιακή κλινική του Λαϊκού Νοσοκομείου ως εξωτερική συνεργάτης.

Sazanidis Vasileios is a Gastroenterologist and maintains a private practice in Dafni. He graduated from the Medical School of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and received a scholarship from the Hellenic Foundation of Gastroenterology and Nutrition for advanced training in the United Kingdom, specializing in interventional endoscopy at the Victoria Hospital of Blackpool. During his training, he performed a large number of colonoscopies, gastroscopies, sigmoidoscopies, ERCPs, as well as endoscopic gastrostomies, esophageal stent placements, esophageal variceal ligations, endoscopic hemostasis, esophageal dilations, and numerous polypectomies and mucosectomies. He specialized in Internal Medicine at the 424 General Military Training Hospital of Thessaloniki and in Gastroenterology at the 1st Propaedeutic University Clinic of the General Hospital of Athens "Laiko." He has worked at the private clinic "Central Clinic of Athens" and as an external Scientific Collaborator at the Hepatology Clinic of the University Gastroenterology Clinic of the General Hospital of Athens "Laiko." Since 2019, he has been working at the Diagnostic Medical Center "Kosmoiatriki" and has been working periodically as a Gastroenterologist in various hospitals in the United Kingdom since 2014, conducting clinical work, endoscopies, and outpatient clinics (Royal Bournemouth Hospital, Bournemouth - Darlington Memorial Hospital, Darlington - St Helier Hospital, London - James Paget Hospital, Great Yarmouth - Bristol Royal Infirmary, Bristol). Finally, he is an Accredited Member of the British Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (JAG).