Endoscopy

In gastrointestinal endoscopy, an endoscope (a medical device consisting of a camera mounted on a flexible tube) is inserted through the mouth or anus. For other areas, small incisions are made. During a gastrointestinal endoscopy procedure, small instruments can be used to take samples of suspicious tissues through the endoscope.

The gastroenterology team here at the new Digestive Health Center of Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center has special facilities and training to conduct sophisticated tests using endoscopy (see list below) to diagnose digestive problems, and to help you and your physician determine the best way to treat your symptoms.

Procedures Related to Endoscopy Performed in the Digestive Health Center include:

• Capsule Endoscopy uses a miniature camera inside a pill-sized capsule to examine all parts of the small intestine, looking for bleeding sites or tumors.
  
• EGD (Upper Endoscopy) procedure uses a soft, flexible fiber-optic instrument to examine the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum; a number of therapies can be performed with this instrument as well.
  
• EUS (Endoscopic Ultrasound) employs an ultrasound device inside a flexible tube to examine the deeper layers of the esophagus, stomach, duodenum, bile duct, pancreas, and gallbladder. Therapeutic uses of this technique include obtaining non-surgical biopsies of difficult-to-reach lesions.
  
• ERCP (Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio-Pancreatography). This is an endoscopic test (see above), during which detailed X-rays can be made of the bile duct and pancreatic duct. Certain therapies, such as removal of stones and placement of stents, can be performed as well.