This is a procedure used to visualize the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum (the first part of the small intestine). The procedure is performed by inserting an endoscope through the patient27s mouth. The endoscope is a flexible tube approximately 1 cm in diameter, equipped with a light source and a camera.
The endoscope contains working channels that allow suction, the injection of air and water, and the passage of instruments for various treatments.
The endoscope also enables, when necessary, the use of additional equipment, such as for obtaining a biopsy or removing a polyp during the procedure.
Medication-induced sedation administered intravenously. Unlike general anesthesia (with artificial respiration), here the patient breathes independently but is asleep and does not feel pain or anxiety.
The duodenum is the upper part of the small intestine. Bile and pancreatic juices drain into it, initiating the main digestion process. In advanced endoscopy, the duodenum is a strategic area for treating biliary tract issues (ERCP), tumors, and complex polyps.
A biopsy is a medical procedure in which a small sample of tissue is taken from the body for microscopic examination in a laboratory.
The purpose of the test is to identify cellular changes, determine whether the process is inflammatory, infectious, or tumorous, and to help the physician choose the most appropriate treatment. The sample can be taken from various locations in the body – for example, from the stomach during gastroscopy, from the skin, from the liver, or from other areas – depending on the clinical suspicion.
The procedure is usually performed under local anesthesia or as part of an endoscopic examination, and it is considered safe and simple.
A polyp is a benign (non-cancerous) growth in the digestive system. There are several types of polyps. A polyp called an adenoma may develop into cancer.
Polyps can be found throughout the digestive tract but are more common in the colon.
Statistics show that 20-50 percent of people over the age of 50 will have colon polyps.