Endoscopic examination is a medical procedure that is performed to look at certain organs, using special tools that are inserted into the body. This procedure allows doctors to detect disorders or problems in the body, so they can treat it appropriately.
Endoscopy is done to observe the condition of organs in the body, such as the digestive tract, breathing, urinary tract, and uterus. Endoscopy can be done for diagnostic purposes (examination) or to cure disease.
Why is endoscopy done?
Endoscopic examination can be done to determine the cause of complaints experienced by patients, as well as detecting the location of disturbances that occur in the body.
The doctor can recommend endoscopy if the patient has a complaint or certain medical problems, such as:
- Gastrointestinal disorders, including peptic ulcers, difficulty swallowing, stomach acid disease (GERD), inflammatory bowel disease, inflammation of the pancreas, gallstones, chronic constipation, and gastrointestinal bleeding.
- Disorders of the airways, including coughing up blood, chronic cough, airway obstruction, shortness of breath, lung tumors, and foreign bodies in the airways.
- Urinary disorders, including urinary or bladder stones, bladder tumors, bloody urine, urinary incontinence, and injury or injury to the urinary tract.
- Disorders of the reproductive organs, including vaginal bleeding, pelvic inflammation, frequent miscarriage, infertility, myoma and uterine cysts, uterine cancer, and uterine deformities.
In addition to examinations, doctors can also perform various actions through endoscopy, such as biopsy, stopping bleeding, removing lumps that are suspected of tumors, myomas, or cysts, and doing sterilization (permanent contraception). The biopsy results will later be elaborated in a cancer pathology report.
Types of diagnostic endoscopes
There are various types of endoscopy based on the organs of the body observed, namely:
- Arthroscopy, to check for abnormalities and problems in the joints, such as arthritis.
- Bronchoscopy, to observe the condition of the respiratory tract leading to the lungs.
- ERCP, to diagnose disorders of the pancreas, bile duct, and gall bladder.
- Gastroscopy, to monitor the esophagus, stomach, and intestines of 12 fingers (duodenum).
- Colonoscopy, to observe the condition of the large intestine. Generally done to diagnose colon cancer.
- Colposcopy, to observe the condition of the cervix or cervix. Generally to diagnose possible cervical dysplasia and cervical cancer.
- Laparoscopy, to observe the condition of organs in the abdominal or pelvic cavity. One of them is to detect the causes of infertility, tumors in the pelvic cavity, and peritonitis.
- Laryngoscopy, to see disorders of the vocal cords and throat, for example polyps or throat cancer.
- Mediastinoscopy, to observe the condition and inside of the chest cavity and the organs inside. This type of endoscopy can be used to diagnose lymphoma and sarcoidosis, lung cancer, and lymph node cancer that has spread to the chest cavity.
- Proctoscopy, to observe and evaluate rectal bleeding (the end of the intestine before the anus).
- Cystoscopy, to observe the condition of the urinary tract and bladder. This type of endoscopy is used to diagnose possible bladder cancer.
- Thorakoskopi, to observe the condition of the cavity between the chest wall and lungs. Usually used for lung biopsy.
Implementation of endoscopic procedures
The endoscopy procedure is done using an instrument called an endoscope, which is inserted directly into the body. The endoscope itself is a long, thin, and flexible tube or tube, which is equipped with a camera and a flashlight at the end.
The camera and flashlight are useful for seeing the state of organs in the body, and the image will be displayed on the monitor. In addition to the camera, the endoscope can also be equipped with surgical equipment at the end, to perform certain medical procedures.Before endoscopy, the doctor will conduct a thorough physical examination, as well as various supporting tests, such as blood tests and X-rays. The doctor will also provide an explanation of how the procedure is carried out and what preparations the patient must do, for example whether the patient needs to fast beforehand or stay overnight in the hospital.
Endoscopy can be performed on a conscious patient, but some endoscopy requires anesthesia, be it local or general anesthesia.
The length of the endoscopy procedure is only about 15-60 minutes. The doctor will insert an endoscope into the body through the mouth, nose, anus, urinary tract, vagina, or through small incisions in the skin.
Recovery after endoscopic examination
After the procedure, the doctor will close the incision with stitches and bandages if an endoscope is made through the incision. Then the doctor will monitor the patient's condition for several hours, while waiting for the anesthetic effect to run out. Generally, patients do not require hospitalization and can go home immediately after undergoing endoscopy.
To anticipate fatigue and discomfort after endoscopy due to anesthesia or drugs used, patients are advised to take time off or work leave, and be accompanied by relatives or family while undergoing this procedure. Patients also should not drive or do strenuous activities after undergoing endoscopic procedures.
Consider the Risks
Although rare, endoscopy remains a medical procedure that carries risks. Some risks that can occur after endoscopy are pain, infection, bleeding, organ damage, and swelling and redness at the incision site.
Generally endoscopy is done in a hospital and is done by a specialist gastroenterologist or a digestive surgeon. If your doctor recommends endoscopy, do not hesitate to ask the reasons, goals and risks, and what things you need to prepare.
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