Some medical procedures require no surgeries. Endoscopy is one such example. The gastroenterology specialists or surgeons only have to examine the organs in the gastrointestinal tract to look for probable causes of ailments within the patient. To do so, they have to inject endoscopic anesthesia in him first.

Specialists have a medical tool they use during the procedure. It is a flexible and long tube with a tiny camera attached to its end. It enters through the mouth, then down the esophagus until reaching the intestines. They use this to examine the organs it passes as well as capture photos of any bleeding parts and abnormal growth.

Photos and images can be used through endoscopic ultrasound. It combines the ultrasound and its uses with endoscopy. Here, specialist gains additional photos, as well as information, regarding the digestive tract and the tissues and organs surrounding it.

The patient will do the procedure for varying reasons. Severe stomach pain, ulcer and gastritis may be the cause of his medical procedure. It may be due to the occurrence of bleeding in the digestive tract. He may feel a significant change to his bowel movement from the constipation and diarrhea he experienced.

Upper endoscopy is the medical term for inspecting the digestive tract until the small intestines. There are times when during initial assessment that the patient suffers pain from the colon. Then, colonoscopy will be done to him wherein the endoscope enters the rectum until it reaches the large intestine.

The pain he suffers from may be due to the growth of polyps in his colon. This is a serious case for these polyps can cause colon cancer. Specialist will use the tool to remove them in order to prevent their development.

Aside from that, it can also stop bleeding from stomach ulcers by passing medical devices through the tube. Biopsy is also possible as they make use of endoscope to take out tissues. This lets them determine if there are other diseases present in the digestive tract. There is an endoscopy procedure which also does biopsy and that is ERCP or endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreaticography. This also checks the gallbladder, biliary system, pancreas, and liver.

Though generally safe, this procedure also brings complications to the patient. He can experience a reaction to the sedation. Tearing in the gut wall may also occur if the endoscope is not handled properly as it enters and exits the body. Affected organs may bleed and get infected as a result.

Preparation is always necessary for the good of the patient. He is required not to eat nor drink anything for eight hours before the procedure. He also needs to go to the bathroom to ensure that the intestine and rectum is cleared out of stool. If he does not feel any urge to do it, his specialist will give him laxatives the day before. If he is under medication for health maintenance, he must ask his specialist which medicine, especially blood thinners, needed to be stopped for a while. Blood thinning medicines like aspirin slow down or prevent platelets from clotting together which does not help if he incurs bleeding.