A treatment used to inspect your upper digestive tract visually is an upper endoscopy, often known as an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. A tiny camera mounted at the end of a lengthy, flexible tube aids in this process. An endoscopy is used to diagnose and occasionally cure problems affecting the digestive system’s upper section. A gastroenterologist is a medical professional who specializes in digestive system ailments.

Diseases affecting the upper gastrointestinal tract should be diagnosed and sometimes treated with upper endoscopy. The first part of the small intestine, the digestive tract, the stomach, and the duodenum are all part of the upper digestive tract. 

Your healthcare provider can advise you on the endoscopic procedure. 

Look at the signs. Digestive symptoms such as heartburn, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, difficulty swallowing, and gastrointestinal bleeding can be brought about with the help of endoscopy. 

Perform a diagnostic test. The availability of tissue samples (biopsies) during an endoscopy allows physicians to screen for diseases and conditions that can cause bleeding, inflammation, or abscesses. In addition, it can detect a tumor in the body.

 Endoscopy is sometimes combined with another technique, such as ultrasound. An ultrasound probe can be inserted into the endoscope to image the digestive or stomach wall. Endoscopic ultrasonography can also image various organs, including your intestines. Very high-resolution video, and today’s end users use it to create a crisper image.

You may need an endoscopy for

 The following treatments could use an endoscope:

• Laparoscopic surgery, which is carried out through tiny skin incisions,
• Laser therapy, which eliminates cancer cells with an intense laser beam.
• Microwave ablation removes malignant tissue.

• Photodynamic treatment, which involves injecting a light-sensitive material into a tumor before using a laser to destroy it
• Medicine administration is another name for medicine distribution.

Types of Endoscopy

Endoscopes are helpful in examining body systems, including the following Gastrointestinal tract: bile duct, rectum, and anus (rectoscopy), as well as the oesophagus, stomach, and duodenum (esophagogastroduodenoscopy), small intestine (enteroscopy), large intestine/colon (colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy), and Respiratory System: Lower respiratory lung examination and nasopharyngeal examination. Otoscopy for Ears Urogenital system: cystoscopy Gynoscopy of the female reproductive tract includes examinations of the cervix, uterus, and fallopian tubes. Internal organs of the chest (thoracoscopy and mediastinoscopy), the abdominal or pelvic cavity (laparoscopy), and the interior of a joint are all accessible with a small incision.

Advances in endoscopy have now enabled the use of endoscopes designed for various surgical procedures. As a result, the procedure is minimally invasive.

Today, it is common practice to perform procedures such as gall bladder removal, cervical coating and ligation, and the removal of small gallbladders from the digestive tract or respiratory system.

A modified endoscope for laparoscopic surgery is called a laparoscope.

An appendectomy (removal of the rectum), a hysterectomy (removal of the uterus), and a prostatectomy (removal of the prostate gland) can all be performed with laparoscopic surgery, requiring only a tiny incision.

Compared to traditional surgery, this technique allows patients to lose less blood during and after surges.

Although endoscopy is typically painless, your doctor will most likely administer a mild sedative or anesthesia. As a result, if you can, make arrangements for someone to drive you home afterward.

Before having an endoscopy, you must fast for a certain number of hours. How long must you fast before your doctor specifies your treatment?

You must prepare your bowels if you are getting a colonoscopy. You’ll receive comprehensive instructions about what to do from your doctor.