Endoscopy is a highly advanced procedure to diagnose and treat many gastrointestinal diseases. On one hand, people are becoming more and more aware of such advanced procedures while on the other, there is still a tendency to self-treat and choose traditional methods or false cures.
Since digestive issues are common, people decide to take what they feel is the easier route and approach non-qualified healers or resort to home remedies like the use of herbs or carbonated drinks to fix abdominal issues, further worsening the condition and delaying the diagnosis. When left untreated for long it leads to complications and even death in cases like stomach cancer. The need for better awareness and timely diagnosis and treatment cannot be stressed enough.
In this article, we attempt to open up endoscopy to you, its types, needs, the procedure, and the benefits and risks that may sometimes arise.
Upper GI Endoscopy like any other endoscopy is a non-surgical procedure but with the specific aim to assess a variety of problems associated with the digestive tract. A flexible tube with a small camera and light attached to it is passed through the mouth and passed on to your digestive tract and the medical practitioner can view the pictures of the tract on a TV monitor.
It can also be used to take tissue samples for biopsy, clear any obstructions, stop bleeding, and perform endoscopic procedures such as endoscopic surgery.
Endoscopy can be of majorly two types depending on the tract used to pass the endoscope and also the body part that needs to be examined.
The first type is upper endoscopy in which an endoscope is passed through the mouth and throat into the esophagus to examine the esophagus, stomach, and upper part of the small intestine.
The second one is sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy in which the endoscope is passed into the large intestine (colon) through the rectum to examine it.
There is another type of endoscopy known as endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography or ERCP in which pictures of the pancreas, gallbladder, and related structures are taken. ERCP is also used to do stent placements and biopsies.
Your doctor or the gastroenterologist might ask you to get an endoscopy if you have any of the following symptoms:
- Digestive or abdominal issues like unexplained pain, heartburn or chest pain, nausea, vomiting, difficulty in swallowing, intestinal bleeding or blockage
- A family history of colon cancer
- Bowel changes like diarrhoea, constipation
- A personal history of colon polyps
- Blood in stool
The procedure of Endoscopy depends on the reason for doing it. It can be done for investigation to uncover reasons for symptoms such as abdominal pain, gastrointestinal bleeding, heartburn, stomach ulcers, etc. Or it can also be done to confirm more serious conditions such as cancer or other diseases.
In this case, an endoscopy is done to carry out biopsies. Or it can be also performed as a treatment for bleeding vessels where through heat the vessel can be healed or to remove a polyp.
Endoscopies can also be used to carry out ultrasound of organs like the pancreas whose imaging is otherwise difficult to do. Endoscopy can also be done to perform minimally invasive surgeries where a small incision is enough for the procedure. The use of endoscopy in surgeries has many benefits, like minimal scarring of muscles and tissues, less bleeding, fewer incisions on the body, better and faster recovery, and less trauma to the patients.
Endoscopy can be done while the person is conscious. However, if required, doctors may use local anaesthesia to sedate the patient.
If you are required to undergo an upper endoscopy or GI procedure or colonoscopy then you would be told the following things by your physician before the procedure:
- Avoid taking any food or fluids after midnight the night before your procedure.
- You will need to tell the doctor if you are pregnant or if you think you are pregnant.
- If you have a history of bleeding disorders you will need to let your doctor know. If you are taking any blood-thinning medicines you will need to let the doctor know. You may need to stop them before the procedure as per the doctor’s advice.
- Your throat will be numbed with a spray before the examination.
- You will be asked to lie on your left side.
- You may be given medicine through IV to induce sedation.
- A thin tube, as thin as some of the food particles, would be inserted into your throat, in case of upper endoscopy, which will not hinder your breathing. In the case of a colonoscopy, a tube will be inserted through your rectum.
- You will not be allowed to swallow any saliva during the procedure. This will be suctioned out from your mouth with no demands from you.
- You may feel some pressure or swelling as the tube is being guided within.
Endoscopy is an advanced medical procedure that doesn’t require a larger single incision or opening of the body. It can be done with minimal intervention and comes with many benefits:
- It helps in the diagnosis of multiple health conditions as discussed previously in this article.
- It can help treat several digestive issues such as a polyp.
- It is safe and has minimal risks, complications, and infection risk due to not having the need for a larger incision.
- It is a quick procedure that lasts for about 15 to 20 minutes after which patients can resume normal activities.
- Patients may have inhibitions but it isn’t painful. There can be mild discomfort but the procedure is only done by trained specialists and any discomfort is taken care of through post-procedural care.
Some possible complications that may occur include:
- Bloating for some time after the procedure.
- Minor internal bleeding. However, it is treatable by endoscopic cauterization.
- Infection in the area of investigation especially if additional procedures are carried out at the same time. However, these infections are usually minor and treatable with antibiotics.
- Mild cramping and pain.
- A tear in the lining of the stomach or esophagus, which can lead to serious complications.
- Dark coloration of stool, severe abdominal pain, chest pain, breathlessness, or vomiting of blood can occur post-procedure.
In any of these cases, immediate consultation with the doctor is necessary.
That said, endoscopy is one of the safest and risk-free procedures available today. Also, due to an increasing shift towards minimally invasive procedures, it is becoming a preferred choice among patients. All you need to do is to follow your physicians’ instructions before and after the procedure, which we have attempted to cover here for you.
For more health-related updates, do visit us today at http://www.velanhospitals.com/.
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