Patients across West Hertfordshire are benefiting from faster, more accurate diagnosis and treatment for serious liver and pancreatic conditions thanks to a new state‑of‑the‑art procedure now available at Watford General Hospital.
The hospital, run by West Herts Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, has introduced Spyglass endoscopy. This is an advanced technique that allows clinicians to see directly inside the tiny bile and pancreatic ducts, which can be narrower than a centimetre. This precise, real‑time view helps diagnose and treat conditions such as pancreatic and bile duct cancer, gallstone‑related sepsis and jaundice.
Watford General launched the Spyglass service in May 2025, making West Herts one of the few NHS trusts in the country to deliver the procedure at a local general hospital, paving the way for other general hospitals to adopt this technology.
Previously, patients in West Hertfordshire often had to travel into London for this level of specialist care. With the introduction of Spyglass locally, patients can now receive advanced diagnosis and treatment closer to home, reducing waiting times, easing travel pressures and supporting earlier intervention.
The technology offers a major step forward from traditional techniques, which provided only two‑dimensional images. Spyglass uses a thin, flexible endoscope with a miniature camera at its tip, generating detailed, three‑dimensional images of the ducts. This means clinicians can access and assess areas that scans alone could not visualise with sufficient clarity.
Dr Mohamed Shariff MA (Oxon) MRCP PhD, Consultant in Gastroenterology and Hepatology at West Herts, said:
“This is an exciting development for our patients, allowing them to access cutting‑edge care on their doorstep.”