Endoscopy

About This Test

There are many types of endoscopes, such as:

• Bronchoscope (looks in the airways and lungs)
• Colonoscope (views the inside of the colon and rectum)
• Cystoscope (views the inside of the bladder)
• Laparoscope (looks at the ovaries, appendix or other abdominal organs)

Why you may need an endoscopy

There are many reasons you may need an endoscopy procedure. For example, your doctor may want to view inside your body if you’re experiencing:

• A change in bowel habits
• Bleeding
• Difficulty swallowing
• Pain

Doctors can also use endoscopy to screen for cancer or remove polyps, which is what happens during a colonoscopy.

What to expect during an endoscopy

Ask your healthcare provider if you need to do anything to prepare for your endoscopy. You may be asked not to eat or drink before the procedure. Before an examination of the lower gastrointestinal tract, you may be asked to use enemas or laxatives to clear out the large intestine.

Before the endoscopy procedure, you may be given medicine to help you relax and possibly fall asleep. This process is called sedation. With the right sedation, you should have little, if any, discomfort.

Sedation is usually not given to people having an endoscopic ultrasound of the rectum. The endoscope will make you feel like you need to move the bowels (pass stool), but it should not cause any pain.

During the procedure, your doctor may pass the endoscope through a:

• Natural body opening, such as your mouth or anus
• Small incision in or near the area to be examined

The doctor can also insert small instruments through the endoscope to take samples of suspicious tissues (biopsies). When your doctor adds an ultrasound probe to a gastrointestinal endoscope, it's called an (endoscopic ultrasound).