Endoscopy is a medical procedure which is employed in diagnosis and treatment of digestive diseases. The following HealthHearty write-up provides information on the common complications associated with endoscopy.
Endoscopy is a diagnostic procedure that is used for examining the internal organs of the body. This visual examination test allows the doctors to detect any kind of abnormalities. It involves the use of an endoscope, which is a long, flexible tube that has a tiny camera and a light source attached on it. The endoscope is inserted into the body through a body passageway such as the mouth.
This procedure is classified into arthroscopy (examination of joints), bronchoscopy (examination of the lungs), upper endoscopy or esophagogastroduodenoscopy (examination of the lining of the esophagus, stomach, and the duodenum), colonoscopy (examination of the large intestine), cystoscopy/ureteroscopy (examination of the urinary system), and laparoscopy (examination of the abdomen and the pelvic region).
Complications Involved
In general, the procedure is considered to be a safe one. However, complications could arise in some cases. Bleeding does not occur in all cases. However, risks are greater if the procedure involves the removal of tissues. Other complications include infection or an injury to the gastrointestinal tract in the form of a tear or perforation. Usually a sedative is administered before the procedure. General anesthesia might be administered only if a complex procedure would be performed. There could be an adverse reaction to sedative or anesthetic.
Though rare, some of the risks associated with upper GI endoscopy include:
- Pain in the throat, chest, or abdomen
- Fever
- Dark stool
- Nausea/vomiting
- Difficulty in swallowing food
If these symptoms persist for more than a day after the procedure, it is better to get in touch with a doctor at the earliest.
Capsule Endoscopy
In this procedure, the patient needs to swallow a capsule. Inside the capsule is implanted a camera, which is designed to take several pictures of the digestive tract. As the capsule travels through the digestive tract, it takes pictures and transmits data to a receiver, that is worn by the patient on a belt around the waist.
The main advantage of this kind of procedure, when compared to the traditional one, is the access to places such as the small intestines. With its help, more information can be attained by doctors for detecting several kinds of digestive disorders such as Celiac disease, cancer, polyps, Crohn’s disease, etc.
This method is also considered to be safe, and does not entail serious complications. Under normal circumstances, the capsule is removed from the body through bowel movement. This might take a day or a few days. However, in some cases, the capsule gets lodged in the digestive tract itself. Now this might seem intimidating, but only a fraction of people undergoing this procedure suffer from this risk. Though the capsule would leave the body on its own, if that does not happen, doctors might recommend a surgery to get rid of it to lower the risk of bowel obstruction.
Though endoscopy complications are not very common, a person who has undergone this procedure must inform his/her doctor about any untoward effects at the earliest.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is solely for educating the reader. It is not intended to be a substitute for the advice of a medical expert.
