Endoscopy
The term endoscopy might be a foreign term to you, but it’s something that millions of Americans have gone through at least once in their lives. Endoscopy ((en-DAHS-kuh-pee)) is a type of procedure that is done with an instrument called an Endoscope. This is not a non-invasive course of medicine however, as the scope would be placed in the body, usually it has a camera on it so that the doctor can see the inside of the body through the camera which is seen on a monitor. This is also sometimes used as a type of surgery to remove things like tissue matter for testing or polyps. X-rays and imaging tests are not the same as an endoscope test because these are things that use scans to see inside the body, without putting tools inside to see. There are all sorts of scopes that can be used and each one is for a different procedure. Most of the endoscopes used in today’s medicine are thin tubes that are hollowed out, most also have some sort of a light source and a video camera. Depending on which area of the body that needs to be looked at or tested, the scope may be placed in different parts of the body including the mouth, the anus and the urethra. Below, you will read about types of endoscopes, benefits of getting an endoscopy, and what to expect after one.
Types of Endoscopy
There are somewhere around 12 different scopes, all for different body parts, all with their own procedure name and all with different ways they are placed in the body. Below are each:
Arthroscope - cuts in the skin - to look at joints - Arthroscopy
Bronchoscope - placed in the nose or mouth - to look at trachea, bronchi - Bronchoscopy
Colonscope - placed in the anus - to see the colon or large intestine - Colonoscopy
Cystoscope - placed in the urethra - to see the bladder - Cystoscopy
Enteroscope - placed in the mouth or anus - to see the small intestine - Enteroscopy
Esophagogastroduodeno-scope - placed in the mouth - to see the Esophgus - Esophagogastroduodenoscopy
Hysteroscope - placed in the vagina - to see the inside of the uterus - Hysteroscopy
Laparoscope - cut into the abdomen - to see the inside of the pelvis - Laparoscopy
Laryngoscope - placed into the mouth or nose - to see the Larnyx - Laryngoscopy
Mediastinoscope - cut into the sternum - to see the Mediastinum (space between the lungs) - Mediastinoscopy
Sigmoidoscope - flexible sigmoidoscope - placed in the anus - to see the rectum - Sigmoidoscopy
Thoracoscope - cut into the chest - to see the space between the lungs and the wall - Thoracoscopy
Benefits of Getting an Endoscopy
Getting an Endoscopy procedure in Queens has multiple benefits. 1- It allows your doctor to see any abnormalities inside the body that the naked eye might not be able to see such as ulcers, bleeding, inflammation or even cancer. Most of these things cannot even be seen on an x-ray. 2- Early stages of cancer and polyps can be discovered before they get worse which could mean adding years on to the patient’s life if removed early on. 3- For things like polyps which can increase bleeding, endoscope instruments can be placed inside the body to stop bleeding and also remove tissue samples for biopsy. An Endoscopy might not be the best feeling in the world to get, but if you are having underlying issues, this could be something that could save your life or allow you to live a better life.
What to Expect After an Endoscopy
Essentially, most of these endoscopies are not really surgeries per se, things like the colonoscopy and Upper GI will allow you to go home the day that you have the procedure done. However, other instances where you may be cut into using the Laparoscope or Thoracoscope may require you to stay at the hospital over might to ensure that there is no blood loss and that bleeding has stopped.
Types of Endoscopy
There are somewhere around 12 different scopes, all for different body parts, all with their own procedure name and all with different ways they are placed in the body. Below are each:
Arthroscope - cuts in the skin - to look at joints - Arthroscopy
Bronchoscope - placed in the nose or mouth - to look at trachea, bronchi - Bronchoscopy
Colonscope - placed in the anus - to see the colon or large intestine - Colonoscopy
Cystoscope - placed in the urethra - to see the bladder - Cystoscopy
Enteroscope - placed in the mouth or anus - to see the small intestine - Enteroscopy
Esophagogastroduodeno-scope - placed in the mouth - to see the Esophgus - Esophagogastroduodenoscopy
Hysteroscope - placed in the vagina - to see the inside of the uterus - Hysteroscopy
Laparoscope - cut into the abdomen - to see the inside of the pelvis - Laparoscopy
Laryngoscope - placed into the mouth or nose - to see the Larnyx - Laryngoscopy
Mediastinoscope - cut into the sternum - to see the Mediastinum (space between the lungs) - Mediastinoscopy
Sigmoidoscope - flexible sigmoidoscope - placed in the anus - to see the rectum - Sigmoidoscopy
Thoracoscope - cut into the chest - to see the space between the lungs and the wall - Thoracoscopy
Benefits of Getting an Endoscopy
Getting an Endoscopy procedure in Queens has multiple benefits. 1- It allows your doctor to see any abnormalities inside the body that the naked eye might not be able to see such as ulcers, bleeding, inflammation or even cancer. Most of these things cannot even be seen on an x-ray. 2- Early stages of cancer and polyps can be discovered before they get worse which could mean adding years on to the patient’s life if removed early on. 3- For things like polyps which can increase bleeding, endoscope instruments can be placed inside the body to stop bleeding and also remove tissue samples for biopsy. An Endoscopy might not be the best feeling in the world to get, but if you are having underlying issues, this could be something that could save your life or allow you to live a better life.
What to Expect After an Endoscopy
Essentially, most of these endoscopies are not really surgeries per se, things like the colonoscopy and Upper GI will allow you to go home the day that you have the procedure done. However, other instances where you may be cut into using the Laparoscope or Thoracoscope may require you to stay at the hospital over might to ensure that there is no blood loss and that bleeding has stopped.