Gastroenterologist Serving Kew Gardens, Queens

Board-certified gastroenterologists providing comprehensive digestive care.

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)

For patients with chronic heartburn or acid reflux, our team evaluates and treats gastroesophageal reflux disease. Dr. Israel explains that when heartburn does not respond to various types of antacids, an upper endoscopy is recommended to evaluate the esophagus for conditions like Barrett's esophagus, reflux esophagitis, or strictures. Treatment is tailored to each patient based on their symptoms and endoscopic findings.

Left untreated, chronic acid reflux can lead to complications including esophageal strictures, which narrow the esophagus and make swallowing difficult, and Barrett's esophagus, a precancerous change in the esophageal lining that requires ongoing surveillance. Our team develops individualized treatment plans that may include lifestyle modifications, such as avoiding trigger foods, not eating within three hours of bedtime, and elevating the head of the bed, alongside medication management. For patients on long-term acid-suppressing medications, periodic endoscopic evaluation helps monitor for any changes in the esophagus.

Capsule Endoscopy

Capsule endoscopy allows our doctors to evaluate the small intestine, all 22 feet of it, which cannot be seen with a standard upper endoscope or colonoscope. The procedure requires no sedation; you swallow a pill-sized camera in our office and go about your day. Between Dr. Davidoff and Dr. Israel, our practice has performed approximately 1,500 capsule endoscopies over the past 18 years. We typically use this procedure to evaluate unexplained anemia or suspected Crohn's disease of the small intestine, often in conjunction with CT or MR enterography.

On the day of your capsule endoscopy, you arrive at our office, swallow the capsule with water, and go about your normal day while the camera captures thousands of images over approximately eight hours. You return the recording device to our office at the end of the day. Dr. Davidoff and Dr. Israel review the images to identify any areas of inflammation, bleeding, polyps, or other abnormalities in the small bowel. Results are typically discussed at a follow-up appointment within one to two weeks.

Crohn's Disease

Crohn's disease is an autoimmune condition where the immune system attacks the lining of the digestive tract. Diagnosis involves a combination of blood work, stool tests, colonoscopy, capsule endoscopy, and MRI. Dr. Israel notes that treatment is highly individualized, different medications work for different patients, and finding the right approach requires careful evaluation of each person's symptoms and response. During flare-ups, we provide dietary guidance including avoiding raw proteins and processed foods.

Managing Crohn's disease requires regular monitoring and treatment adjustments over time. Our gastroenterologists use a combination of bloodwork, stool markers like calprotectin, and periodic endoscopy to track disease activity and response to treatment. Medication options may include biologics, immunomodulators, or newer targeted therapies, the goal is finding the right combination to maintain remission and prevent flare-ups while minimizing side effects.

Ulcerative Colitis

Our gastroenterologists also manage ulcerative colitis, a condition marked by bloody diarrhea, abdominal pain, and urgency. New biologic treatments and small molecules targeting inflammatory pathways have expanded treatment options significantly. Because ulcerative colitis can increase the risk of colon cancer, our team monitors patients with regular colonoscopic surveillance.

Because ulcerative colitis affects only the colon and rectum, colonoscopy with biopsies is central to both diagnosis and monitoring. Patients with UC for eight years or more typically begin surveillance colonoscopies every one to two years to screen for dysplasia. Treatment has advanced significantly, and our gastroenterologists work with each patient to find the right approach, whether that involves traditional therapies, newer biologics, or a combination tailored to their specific disease pattern and response.

Over 40 combined years of clinical experience in gastroenterology and hepatology.

Dr. Samuel Davidoff, MD - Founder & Gastroenterologist

Dr. Davidoff has led Gastroenterology & Nutrition, P.C. since founding the practice in 2008. He is board-certified in gastroenterology and hepatology by the American Board of Internal Medicine. After earning a biology degree from Queens College (where he received the Donald Lancefield Prize), he completed his medical degree at SUNY Stony Brook School of Medicine and his gastroenterology fellowship at Long Island Jewish Medical Center. Dr. Davidoff has authored research publications in gastroenterology and hepatology and has served as a speaker for major pharmaceutical companies. He speaks English and Russian.

Dr. Yuriy Israel, MD - Gastroenterologist & Hepatologist

Dr. Israel has been with the practice since 2016, specializing in gastroenterology and hepatology. He earned his biology degree summa cum laude from Queens College on the Jonas E. Salk Scholarship and his medical degree from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. He completed his residency at Beth Israel Medical Center, where he was selected as Chief Resident, and his fellowship in gastroenterology and hepatology at Westchester Medical Center (New York Medical College). Dr. Israel is board-certified in internal medicine and gastroenterology, and belongs to both the American College of Gastroenterology and the American Gastroenterological Association. He speaks English, Russian, and Spanish.

Emanuel Yaakobov, FNP - Family Nurse Practitioner

Emanuel Yaakobov is a licensed family nurse practitioner who works alongside our gastroenterologists, supporting patient consultations, follow-up care, and treatment coordination. He speaks English and Russian.

Meet our full team and read their complete credentials.