Endoscopy Services in Alwarpet, Chennai
What is Endoscopy?
Diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions have come a long way. Today, medical imaging techniques help diagnose and detect the smallest conditions to provide prompt therapies. However, many conditions still warrant better internal visualization. Since open surgical procedures are way too invasive, advanced diagnostic and surgical procedures like endoscopy became increasingly popular. If you are looking for the best gastroenterologist near you, almost all of them perform an endoscopic procedure.
Endoscopy is a type of medical procedure that gastroenterologists use to visualize the insides of an organ in the body without performing extensive surgery. An endoscope is inserted preferably into an existing opening in the body or a small incision in the skin. The endoscope is a thin, long, flexible tube with a powerful light and a camera at its tip.
The camera end of the tube is inserted, and the light at its tip enables the surgeon to visualize the tube’s path and all that it encounters. The video camera at the tip of the tube is connected to software that provides magnified images of tissues and organs.
Who Qualifies for an Endoscopy?
There are no specific guidelines about who should get an endoscopy. However, endoscopy treatment in Chennai is recommended between 40 to 50 years of age. You may require an endoscopic procedure performed by the best gastroenterologist in Alwarpet in the following cases:
Cancer screening: If the top gastroenterologist in Chennai suspects cancerous growth in the colon or colorectal cancer, they may advise you to undergo a colonoscopy. In many cases, a colonoscopy is used to remove these growths (also called polyps). Patients who have persistent heartburn with no relief from medication may be advised to undergo an endoscopy for diagnosing Barett’s Esophagus, a leading risk factor for esophageal cancer.
Diagnose or detect the cause of symptoms: An endoscopy is used in patients who show one or more symptoms without an evident cause. The procedure is performed on the suspected organ or system and to visualize any changes in them.
Treatment for certain conditions: In many cases, an endoscopy is used in treating certain conditions. It may also be used for the retrieval or removal of foreign objects in the body.
Why is an Endoscopy Procedure Performed?
The best gastroenterologist in Chennai will advise an endoscopic procedure for you if you have one or more of the following symptoms:
- Stomach ache
- Ulcers in the digestive tract that cause a difficult to swallow
- Gastritis
- Bleeding in the digestive tract
- Issues with bowel movement such as chronic diarrhea or constipation
- Polyps or growth in the digestive tract like the colon
- To detect cancerous growth
- Remove unusual tissues for biopsy
- Abnormal loss of weight
- Heartburn and indigestion
- If there is blood in the cough or sputum
- To detect problems in the uterus
- Urinary incontinence
- To detect any abnormalities in the lower part of the small and large intestines
Request an appointment at Apollo Spectra Hospitals, Alwarpet, Chennai
Call 1860 500 2244 to book an appointment.
What are the Different Types of Endoscopic Procedures?
If you think about the best choice of endoscopy treatment in Chennai for your condition, there are different procedures under the broad umbrella of endoscopy.
Depending on the endoscopic tool used and the part of the body visualized, endoscopic procedures can be of different types:
- Anoscopy: Used to visualize the anus and rectum
- Arthroscopy: Used to visualize the various joints in the body
- Bronchoscopy: Used to visualize the trachea (or windpipe) and lungs
- Colonoscopy: Used to visualize the colon and the large intestine
- Colposcopy: Used to visualize the vagina and the cervix
- Cystoscopy: Used to visualize the insides of the urinary bladder
- Esophagoscopy: Useful to visualize inside of the esophagus
- Gastroscopy: Enables us to visualize the stomach and duodenum (the first part of the small intestine)
- Laparoscopy: Useful for visualizing abdominal organs, including the stomach, liver, female reproductive organs
- Laryngoscopy: Helpful to visualize the larynx or the voice box
- Neuroendoscopy: Useful to visualize the different parts and areas of the brain
- Proctoscopy: Enables clear visualization of the sigmoid colon (the final part of the colon) and rectum
- Sigmoidoscopy: As the name suggests, it is helpful to visualize the sigmoid colon
- Thoracoscopy: Helpful in the visualization of the different layers of the pleura (the protective covering of the lung)
What are the Benefits of Endoscopy?
Compared to open surgical procedures, endoscopy and its different types offer plenty of advantages:
- The simplicity of the procedure
- Reduced risk
- Cost-effective
- Since a natural body opening is used to perform endoscopic procedures, there are no scars
- Since there is no incision/ scar, recovery time after any endoscopic procedure is quick
- Lesser hospital stay and some minor endoscopies can be performed as outpatient procedures.
What are the Risks or Complications Involved in Endoscopy?
Endoscopy is usually a very safe procedure, but the risk of complications is very minimal. However, in some cases, a few complications may arise:
- A tear or perforation in the wall of the digestive tract or an organ
- Allergic reaction to the anesthetic agent
- Infection post-operative
- Bleeding
- Pancreatitis or inflammation of the pancreas
Conclusion
Various critical problems related to vitals cannot be cured only by imaging techniques; we need an endoscope for proper visualization and examination. Surgeons and gastroenterologists have brought advancement in the field of endoscopy. This technique has enabled them to cure severe health problems and perform general and gastro surgeries.
Endoscopy procedures are usually performed under sedation and not general anesthesia. Due to this, you will be awake during the procedure and won’t feel any pain. However, due to passage of the tube in certain areas, you may feel some amount of discomfort during the procedure.
The preparation for an endoscopy depends upon the area of investigation: You may need to fast for at least 12 hours before endoscopy in most cases. For an endoscopy required to investigate the gut, you may be required to take a laxative the night before the procedure to ensure complete cleaning of the system. This is typically done if you need a colon-related endoscopy.
An endoscopic procedure is usually performed as an outpatient procedure in a hospital. It can also be performed in a doctor’s clinic and takes up to one hour.