A digestive endoscopy is an examination to view the digestive tract by means of instruments equipped with a lighting system and a camera. Also known as oral panendoscopy or gastroscopy, this test consists of the examination of the esophagus, stomach and duodenum, by means of a flexible tube (oral panendoscope) that is introduced through the mouth and allows direct visualization of all types of lesions that exist in that portion of the digestive tract (esophagitis, hiatal hernias, gastritis, ulcers, tumors, etc.) allowing, in addition, the taking of samples for biopsies and certain therapeutic actions.
On the other hand, colonoscopy, by means of other types of thicker and longer endoscopes, allows the direct exploration of the entire colon and even the last centimeters of the small intestine, thus allowing the diagnosis of diseases of the large intestine and the treatment of some of them. Both explorations are performed under sedation, which allows the patient to tolerate the procedure perfectly without being aware of it and without pain.
What is digestive endoscopy used for?
This test is used to examine the upper digestive tract (esophagus-stomach and duodenum) and the colon in all its extension up to the terminal ileum. This makes it possible to detect diseases that affect these tracts, such as hiatal hernia, esophagitis, gastroduodenal ulcer or upper digestive tumors.
Polyps, tumors or inflammatory or infectious pathology can also be detected in the colon. Digestive endoscopy has a triple purpose, since it is in charge of diagnosing, prognosticating and treating pathologies in the area, being able to remove polyps or incipient malignant lesions.
What does the test consist of?
In general, patients must fast for hours before the test and in the case of colonoscopy, they must also undergo an oral preparation to cleanse the colon hours before the test, as well as follow a low-fiber diet the days prior to the examination.
When performing the exploration under sedation, the patient will have to be accompanied and not perform activities that contain a lot of effort in the following 12 hours of the procedure.
What signs will alert of any anomaly?
The alarm symptoms to rule out a serious digestive pathology will consist of an unjustified weight loss or loss of appetite, anemia of unknown cause, a palpable mass on physical examination, a change in bowel rhythm in recent months or digestive bleeding, either with red blood in the stool or black stool.
What kind of pathologies can be detected?
Digestive endoscopy allows the diagnosis of digestive diseases affecting the mucosa of the upper digestive tract such as the colon of an inflammatory nature (inflammatory bowel disease, gastritis, diverticulitis…), infectious (peptic ulcer associated with Helicobacter pylori infection, infectious colitis) or neoplastic (polyps of the stomach or colon or tumors of the upper digestive tract or colon of a benign or malignant nature).
Digestive endoscopy not only allows the diagnosis of these diseases but often their treatment and follow-up to avoid new lesions.
Nowadays people over 50 years of age should consider the possibility of performing a colonoscopy to rule out neoplastic colon pathology, either polyps or colon tumors which, in their initial stages do not cause symptoms, and that treatment in these stages can be curative.