Endoscopy is a medical procedure through which the inside of the gastrointestinal tract can be visualizedboth for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.
Digestive endoscopy is an imaging technique that involves inserting an endoscope, a long and thin tube equipped with a light source and a video camera at one end, inside the digestive tube. The images taken by the endoscope are displayed in real time on a monitor, where they are analyzed by a doctor.
Depending on the area examined, there is two types of digestive endoscopy:
Upper digestive endoscopy
Also called gastroscopyis used to diagnose and sometimes treat conditions that occur in the upper part of the digestive tract (oral cavity, oropharynx, esophagus, stomach, duodenal bulb and the descending portion of the duodenum – the first part of the small intestine).
This procedure helps doctors:
- Determine the cause of signs and symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, difficulty swallowing or gastrointestinal bleeding;
- To collect tissue samples (biopsy) in order to obtain a correct diagnosis;
- To treat certain conditions of the upper digestive tract.
The endoscope is inserted into the upper digestive tract through the patient’s oral cavity, following the physiological path of swallowing.
Lower digestive endoscopy
This type of endoscopy is also called colonoscopy and is used to examine the lining of the large intestine and detect any abnormalities in the colon and rectum. This type of endoscopy is used for:
- To detect the first signs of colorectal cancer;
- To determine the causes of transit disturbances;
- Assess symptoms such as abdominal pain, rectal bleeding and weight loss;
- And eliminate polyps.
2024-01-18 13:36:04
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