Endoscopy Services

Overview:

A colonoscopy is a medical procedure that allows your doctor to visualize and examine the inner lining of your entire colon (large intestine) and rectum. It's typically done to screen for or diagnose colon cancer, although it can also be used to investigate other digestive problems, such as:

• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
• Unexplained rectal bleeding
• Severe abdominal pain
• Chronic diarrhea

The Procedure:

During the colonoscopy, you will be asked to lie on an exam table. Your doctor will insert a thin, flexible tube with a light and a camera on the end into your rectum to examine your colon for abnormalities and disease. A colonoscopy can show irritated and swollen tissue, ulcers, polyps, or tumors.

Overview:

Doctors use ERCP to treat problems of the bile and pancreatic ducts. Doctors also use ERCP to diagnose problems of the bile and pancreatic ducts if they expect to treat problems during the procedure.

The Procedure:

ERCP is a procedure that combines upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy and x-rays to treat problems of the bile and pancreatic ducts.

Overview:

A flexible sigmoidoscopy can help a doctor find the cause of unexplained symptoms, such as

• bleeding from your anus
• changes in your bowel activity such as diarrhea
• pain in your abdomen
• unexplained weight loss

Doctors also use flexible sigmoidoscopy as a screening tool for colon polyps and colon and rectal cancer. Screening may find diseases at an early stage, when a doctor has a better chance of curing the disease.

The Procedure:

Flexible sigmoidoscopy is a procedure in which a trained medical professional uses a flexible, narrow tube with a light and tiny camera on one end, called a sigmoidoscope or scope, to look inside your rectum and lower colon, also called the sigmoid colon and descending colon. Flexible sigmoidoscopy can show irritated or swollen tissue, ulcers, polyps, and cancer.

Overview:

An ileoscopy is a medical procedure that allows your doctor to examine the lining of the lower part of your small intestine, called the ileum. The ileum is the last and longest section of your small intestine, where most of the nutrients from your food are absorbed before emptying into the large intestine.

Reasons for the procedure:

• Diagnosing the cause of bleeding in the small intestine
• Investigating high output from an ileostomy (an opening created surgically in the small intestine to divert waste)
• Detecting and monitoring Crohn's disease, an inflammatory bowel disease that can affect the entire digestive tract, including the ileum
• Taking tissue samples (biopsies) for further analysis
• Removing small polyps or other abnormalities

The Procedure:

The doctor will insert a thin, flexible tube called an ileoscope through your anus and advance it gently into your ileum. The ileoscope has a tiny camera and light at the tip that transmits images of the lining of your intestine to a monitor. Air might be inflated into your intestine through the ileoscope to provide a clearer view. This may cause some temporary discomfort or cramping. The doctor will carefully examine the images for any abnormalities, such as inflammation, ulcers, or bleeding. If necessary, they may use small instruments passed through the ileoscope to take tissue samples or remove small polyps. The entire procedure usually takes about 30-60 minutes.

Overview:

Endoscopic ultrasound combines the two modalities of endoscopic visualization with high frequency ultrasound to enable imaging of the wall of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and beyond into the organs and vessels in proximity.

The Procedure:

During the lower ultrasound, you will be asked to lie on an exam table. Your doctor will insert a thin, flexible tube with a light, camera, and ultrasound probe on the end into your rectum to examine your colon for abnormalities and disease.

Overview:

A push endoscopy, also known as push enteroscopy, is a minimally invasive procedure that allows doctors to examine and treat the lining of the upper part of your small intestine. This area is typically more difficult to reach with other standard endoscopic techniques like an upper endoscopy.

Reasons for a push endoscopy:

• Diagnosing and treating conditions affecting the upper small intestine, such as:
  • Bleeding ulcers
  • Crohn's disease
  • Celiac disease
  • Tumors
  • Blockages
• Taking tissue samples (biopsies) for further analysis
  • Removing small polyps or other abnormalities

The Procedure:

The doctor will insert a thin, flexible tube called an enteroscope into your mouth and slowly advance it through your esophagus, stomach, and into the upper part of your small intestine. The enteroscope has a tiny camera at the end that transmits images of the lining of your intestine to a monitor for the doctor to see. The doctor can use these images to look for any abnormalities and perform any necessary procedures. The entire procedure usually takes about 30-60 minutes.

Overview:

Endoscopic ultrasound combines the two modalities of endoscopic visualization with high frequency ultrasound to enable imaging of the wall of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and beyond into the organs and vessels in proximity.

The Procedure:

During an upper ultrasound, a doctor inserts a thin, flexible tube called an endoscope down your food pipe and into your digestive tract. The endoscope has a light, tiny camera and ultrasound probe at the end, which allows the doctor to see the lining of your organs on a monitor. They can also use the endoscope to

Reasons for an Upper Ultrasound:

• Investigate abdominal pain, especially in the upper right quadrant.
• Check for gallstones, liver problems, or abnormalities in the pancreas.
• Evaluate the size and position of your kidneys.
• Monitor existing conditions like chronic liver disease or pancreatitis.
• Guide biopsies or procedures on these organs.

Overview:

An EGD, which stands for esophagogastroduodenoscopy. It is a medical procedure used to examine the lining of your upper digestive tract. This includes your

• Esophagus: The muscular tube that connects your throat to your stomach
• Stomach: The muscular sac where food is broken down
• Duodenum: The first part of your small intestine

The Procedure:

During an EGD, a doctor inserts a thin, flexible tube called an endoscope down your throat and into your digestive tract. The endoscope has a light and a tiny camera at the end, which allows the doctor to see the lining of your organs on a monitor. They can also use the endoscope to:

• Take tissue samples for biopsy (if needed)
• Remove small polyps or other abnormalities
• Treat certain conditions, such as bleeding ulcers

Overview:

Video capsule endoscopy, also known as capsule endoscopy or wireless capsule endoscopy, is a non-invasive diagnostic procedure that utilizes a tiny pill-sized camera to capture images of your entire gastrointestinal tract (GI tract), including areas difficult to reach with traditional endoscopes.

Reasons for procedure:

• Evaluating for a source of obscure GI bleeding
• Investigating small bowel disorders like Crohn's disease, celiac disease, and tumors
• Evaluating suspected small bowel abnormalities like ulcers, strictures, and polyps

The Procedure:

The patient will swallow a capsule with water. The capsule is similar to a large pill in size. This capsule contains batteries, a light source, transmitter, and a tiny camera that will travel through your GI tract documenting with images. The images are transmitted to a receiver that the patient will wear around their waste. Once the capsule has passed through your entire system, the data is downloaded and evaluated by a physician. The capsule naturally passes in your stool, no retrieval is necessary.