Endoscopy is a procedure where the inside of your body is examined using a long, thin tube called endoscope that is directly inserted into the body to observe an internal organ or tissue in detail. It is also be used to carry out other tasks including imaging and minor surgery. Your doctor may recommend an endoscopy procedure to:
Endoscopy has relatively few risks, delivers detailed images, and is quick to carry out as it takes 15 to 60 minutes and has proven to be incredibly useful in many areas of medicine.
Endoscopy is performed to diagnose or even treat conditions that affect the esophagus, stomach and beginning of the small intestine (duodenum). Doctors may recommend endoscopy to evaluate:
Endoscopy is sometimes also combined with other procedures, such as an ultrasound. It can be used to place the ultrasound probe to create specialized images of the wall of your esophagus or stomach and it also helps your doctor to create images of hard-to-reach organs, such as your pancreas.
An endoscopy generally is a safe procedure and the risk of serious complications is very low. After endoscopy, you may experience some mildly uncomfortable signs and symptoms such as:
These signs and symptoms will improve with time so give yourself rest. However, consult your doctor immediately if there are any signs of infection in the area where the endoscope was inserted.