Professional background

Vinay Sehgal is a consultant gastroenterologist and interventional endoscopist at University College Hospital London. He graduated from The University of Liverpool in 2007 and completed his specialist training in gastroenterology in North East London. During this time, he completed his PhD at University College London where he developed a novel tumour model of oesophageal cancer used in crucial mechanistic, imaging and pre-clinical studies.

He has a specialist interest in the early detection of pre-malignant lesions of the upper GI tract with particular expertise in artificial intelligence-based classification systems to improve lesion recognition of Barrett’s-related neoplasia. He also has a specialist interest in advanced endoscopic therapy for benign and malignant disorders of the upper GI tract. He regularly presents at international meetings and has published numerous original manuscripts and reviews in this field.

He has a keen interest in endoscopy training and is a member of faculty at the British Society of Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Training Committee for The Royal College of Physicians. He is also actively involved in numerous live endoscopy and hands-training courses at UCLH.

He has a keen interest in research and supervises a research team who collect important information into endoscopic techniques and procedures he carries out to ultimately improve and streamline the care that we give to our patients. His research is focused on exisiting and novel endoscopic imaging technologies to help detect and treatment early cancer of the gastrointestinal tract including the use of artificial intelligence. His other interests include the development of minimally invasive endoscopic techniques to treat early cancers of the upper gastrointestinal tract for which he is actively involved in several national and international clinical studies in this field.

He led a team that introduced a non-invasive oesophageal tissue sampling device which was used to monitor patients with pre-malignant conditions of the oesophagus instead of endoscopy which was otherwise postponed due the COVID-19 pandemic. UCLH was the first centre in the world to adopt this technology with other centres following its lead and ultimately helping to improve the care we offer to such patients.

Research interests

Resarch and clinical areas of interest include:

  • Heartburn and acid reflux:
  • Causes (such as hiatal hernia, hypotensive lower esophageal sphincter)
  • Treatments (such as lifestyle changes, proton pump inhibitors, and hiatus hernia- directed therapies)
  • Patient education about health including topics such as: oesophageal reflux disease and heartburn mechanisms, stomach acid production, how reflux occurs, and digestive and bowel health.
  • Barrett’s oesophagus endoscopic therapy such as: endoscopic resection (ER) and ablation (RFA, APC, Cryotherapy) for early neoplasia and cancer
  • Novel minimally invasive screening tools for Barrett’s oesophagus and oesophageal cancer
  • Eosinophilic oesophagitis
  • Oesophageal strictures management (narrowing of the oesophagus)
  • Transnasal endoscopy and minimally invasive imaging and monitoring in the upper GI tract
  • Advanced endoscopic imaging techniques
  • Functional heartburn and indigestion
  • Upper GI motility disorders such as achalasia, oesophago-gastric outlet obstruction, oesophageal spasm, gastroparesis, and non-cardiac chest pain
  • Assessment of extra-oesophageal (atypical) reflux symptoms such as globus, throat irritation, throat clearing, and cough
  • Laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR)
  • Oro-pharyngeal symptoms of difficulty swallowing, choking, crico-pharyngeal spasm, and Zenker’s diverticulum

Publications

[1] Alzoubaidi D, Hussein M, Sehgal V, Makahamadze C, Magee C, Everson M, Graham, D, Sweis R, Banks MR, Sami S, Novelli M, Lovat LB, Haidry RJ. Cryoballoon ablation for the treatment of patients with refractory esophageal neoplasia after first line endoscopic eradication therapy. Endoscopy International Open. 2020; in press

[2] Sehgal V, Rosenfeld A, Graham DG, Lipman G, Bisschops R, Ragunath K, Rodriguez-Justo M, Novelli M, Banks MR, Haidry RJ & Lovat LB. Machine Learning Creates a Simple Endoscopic Classification System that Improves Dysplasia Detection in Barrett’s Oesophagus amongst Non-expert Endoscopists. Gastroenterology Research and Practice. 2018 Aug 29;2018:1872437.

[3] Pye H, Butt MA, Funnell L, Reinert HW, Puccio I, Rehman Khan SU, Saouros S, Marklew JS, Stamati I, Quarashi M, Haidry RJ, Sehgal V, Oukrif D, Gandy M, Whitaker HC, Rodriguez-Justo M, Novelli M, Hamoudi R, Yahioglu G, Deonarain MP, Lovat LB. Using antibody directed phototherapy to target oesophageal adenocarcinoma with heterogeneous HER2 expression. Oncotarget. 2018 May 1;9(33):22945-22959.

[4] Puccio I, Khan S, Butt A, Graham D, Sehgal V, Patel D, Novelli M, Lovat LB, Rodriguez-Justo M, Hamoudi RA. Immunohistochemical assessment of Survivin and Bcl3 expression as potential biomarkers for NF-κB activation in the Barrett metaplasia-dysplasia-adenocarcinoma sequence. Int J Exp Pathol. 2018 Feb;99(1)10-14.

[5] Bekkali NLH, Murray S, Winter L, Sehgal V, Webster GJM, Chapman MH, Bandula S, Amin Z, Read S, Pereira SP, Johnson GJ. The role of multidisciplinary meetings for benign pancreatobiliary diseases: a tertiary centre experience. Frontline Gastroenterol. 2017 Jul;8(3)210-213.

[6] Lipman G, Bisschops R, Sehgal V, Ortiz-Fernandez-Sordo J, Esteban JM, Banks MR, Ragunath K, Lovat LB, Haidry RJ. Systematic assessment with I-SCAN magnification endoscopy and acetic acid improves dysplasia detection in patients with Barrett’s esophagus. Endoscopy. 2017 Dec;49(12):1219-1228.

[7] Kohoutova D, Haidry R, Banks M, Bown S, Sehgal V, Butt MA, Graham D, Thorpe S, Novelli M, Rodriguez-Justo M, Lovat L. Esophageal neoplasia arising from subsquamous buried glands after an apparently successful photodynamic therapy or radiofrequency ablation for Barrett's associated neoplasia. Scand J Gastroenterol. 2015;50(11):1315-21.

[8] Haidry RJ, Lipman G, Banks MR, Butt MA, Sehgal V, Graham D, Dunn JM, Gupta A, Sweis R, Miah H, Morris D, Smart HL, Bhandari P, Willert R, Fullarton G, Morris J, Di Pietro M, Gordon C, Penman I, Barr H, Patel P, Boger P, Kapoor N, Mahon B, Hoare J, Narayanasamy R, O'Toole D, Cheong E, Direkze NC, Ang Y, Veitch A, Dhar A, Nyalender D, Ragunath K, Leahy A, Fullard M, Rodriguez-Justo M, Novelli M, Lovat LB. Comparing outcome of radiofrequency ablation in Barrett's with high grade dysplasia and intramucosal carcinoma: a prospective multicenter UK registry. Endoscopy. 2015 Nov;47(11):980-7.