ENDOSCOPY

Endoscopy is a procedure done for the examination of a person’s gastrointestinal tract {GIT). It is a non-surgical and non-invasive procedure.

It is done using an endoscope which is a flexible tube with an attached light and camera at its end. As the endoscope is passed through the digestive tract, beginning from the mouth into the esophagus and so on, the pictures of the tract become visible on a color monitor in front of the doctor. In this way doctor can check the patency and condition of the tract.

Upper GI Endoscopy is done to view the upper GIT which includes mouth, throat, esophagus, stomach and some proximal part of small intestine.

Similar procedure is done to examine colon and rectum and is called colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy.

If you experience any of the following symptoms, the cause of which is not obvious, endoscopy is indicated.

• Nausea and vomiting

• Stomach pain

• Problem swallowing

• Unexplained weight loss

• Indigestion

• Abdominal pain

• GI bleeding

Apart from examining upper GIT, endoscopy is used by gastroenterologists for various procedures like:

• Removal of a polyp or any other growth

• Removal a foreign object

• Stopping bleeding from an ulcer

Following useful precautions are advised to the patient undergoing endoscopy:

• Refrain from eating or drinking

• Sedation might refrain you from driving hence it is better to have someone drive in your place

• Proper rest is advised

• Sor throat, nausea and bloating are common experiences

Upper endoscopy is a relatively safe procedure. However, there are certain potential complications as follows:

• Perforation of the gut wall

• Infection

• Bleeding

• Reaction to sedation

• Pancreatitis as a result of ERCP