Endoscopy is a medical procedure whose name is derived from Greek language. If we try to translate it literally, it means “looking inside," since the Greek word “Endon” means “the inside” while “Scopeo” means to look at. As the name has already suggested, endoscopy involves looking inside the body for various medical reasons. Doctors use special tool to perform endoscopy, and this tool is typically referred to as an endoscope. The endoscope is used to look into the interior of a hollow organ, or a cavity in the body – anywhere where the tool can reach and process visual information important for the medical experts.
Uses of endoscopy
Endoscopy is typically used when doctors need to diagnose certain suspected health conditions. It is usually used to confirm the diagnosis when other diagnostic tools are unsuitable. For example, an X-ray cannot tell a lot about urinary infection, but an endoscope can be inserted right into this organ system to confirm a diagnosis. Similarly, endoscopy is used to learn more about the progress of a known medical condition, or to measure the extent of complications and total effects the condition is caused. Endoscopy is often used to diagnose urinary tract infections, incontinence, internal bleeding, stomach ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome or breathing disorder. However, it is also indispensable as a diagnostic tool for certain cancers. Endoscope can be used in conjunction with biopsy, to obtain a small tissue samples and test it for the cancerous cells. Endoscopy can also be therapeutic, when it is used to treat certain medical conditions. For example, an endoscope can be used to carry out different surgical procedures such as repairing bleeding ulcers and veins, widening upper gastrointestinal tract if there are any blockages, providing nutrition or removing polyps or early stage tumors.
Benefits of endoscopy
Endoscopy is still considered a relatively new science, and it is expected that it will advance in the future. However, it still offers some great benefits to the patients. The most important benefit of endoscopy is that it is relatively comfortable and provides the patients with an opportunity to recover rapidly. Endoscope is a tiny instrument and therefore, patients do not have to worry about ugly scars following the endoscopy procedure.
From doctor’s point of view, benefits of endoscopy are even more immense, since this method allows them to perform various operations that would not be possible with conventional surgery. Carrying the operation in a less invasive manner is also very beneficial, since it doesn’t involve any serious risk of complications.
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