Endoscopy at UCT Private Academic Hospital

An Endoscopy is a nonsurgical or minimally invasive procedure to observe inside a person’s body using an instrument called an endoscope. An endoscope is a long, thin, flexible tube with a light and camera attached to it. It allows your doctor to view pictures of the insides of your body on a television screen. Endoscopes can be inserted through a natural opening, such as the mouth down the throat or through the bottom. It can also be inserted through small incisions during keyhole surgery. There are three main reasons an endoscopy is carried out: investigation, confirmation of a diagnosis, and treatment. 

This procedure can be used to investigate unusual symptoms and help perform certain types of surgery. It can also be used to remove a small tissue sample for further analysis, which is known as a biopsy. Additionally, the procedure can also be used to treat a digestive problem. For instance, it might not only detect active bleeding from an ulcer, but it can also have devices attached to it to stop the bleeding. Your doctor may suggest you undergo endoscopy if you experience persistent abdominal pain, persistent nausea and vomiting, vomiting blood, persistent diarrhea, blood in your stools, gallstones, blockage of the esophagus, unusual vaginal bleeding, chest pains that are not caused by heart conditions, and difficulty swallowing. Endoscopy is quick, relatively safe, and delivers a detailed image. Therefore, tens of millions of endoscopies are performed every year.