The process of examining the organs of the digestive system with a bendable tube-shaped instrument that has its own special light source and allows images to be taken through a camera at its end is called endoscopy. This device is called an endoscope.

When Is It Necessary?
If;

• Your problems with swallowing and chewing,
• Ongoing heartburn and burning,
• Cough, snoring fits and hoarseness during sleep,
• Stomach aches and pains after meals or on an empty stomach
• Stomach ache,
• Bleeding from the upper digestive system,
• Vomiting,
• Accidental swallowing of a foreign object,
• Changes in your bowel pattern,
• Bleeding with defecation in the toilet,
• Need for controls for a previously diagnosed digestive system disease,
• Intestinal laziness, constipation or diarrhea that does not improve for a long time,
• If there are abnormal findings in the stomach and intestinal films;

Endoscopy is required.

Is endoscopy a difficult procedure for the patient?
Endoscopy has been used for 40 years, especially in examining the digestive system. Compared to the past, there are devices that are more mobile, flexible, thinner and have higher image capacity. The success of endoscopy and the patient’s discomfort with endoscopy depends on who performs it, where it is performed, how it is performed, and whether there is an experienced team of assistants. If there is no obstacle, medication should be administered to the patient as a preliminary preparation. First of all, before the gastroscopy procedure, the patient’s tongue base and uvula area are anesthetized with a regional numbing spray, which is also used by dentists. This eliminates nausea. Then, relaxing and mild sleep-inducing medications are given through the arm vein. Endoscopy is very comfortable when done this way. Most of the time, after the procedure is completed, the patient asks, “Did you really do gastroscopy? Is it over?” he asks. In addition, sleep-relieving medications are administered after endoscopy, if necessary. After the procedure is completed, the patient can return to work within an hour or two. But we don’t want him to drive or do anything that requires extreme attention that day.

How is endoscopy done?
An extremely soft tube, 8-10 millimeters thick, is guided and accessed through gastroscopy from the esophagus to the stomach and duodenum. In colonoscopy, the entire large intestine is examined. The device, which is approximately 110-120 cm long, has a camera at the end and reflects the areas it passes onto a television screen. By looking at these images, the doctor can see the inner surface of the patient’s examined area and make a diagnosis. During this procedure, the patient’s pulse and oxygen level are monitored. If necessary, a sample is taken for diagnosis (biopsy) or therapeutic procedures such as stopping bleeding and removing polyps can be performed. Gastroscopy is completed in 3-5 minutes, and colonoscopy is completed in 15-20 minutes. For all these procedures, at least 6 hours of fasting is required beforehand. While fasting alone is sufficient for the gastroscopy procedure, bowel cleansing must be done with special medications for at least 2 days for the colonoscopy procedure. Private Meltem Hospital is among the hospitals that perform endoscopy.

What are the risks of endoscopy?
The risks seen in endoscopy are very rare. Gastroscopy and colonoscopy have certain risks, depending on both the procedure and the anesthesia applied. Procedure-related risks include risks such as intestinal perforation and bleeding, which do not exceed 0.2%. The risks associated with the anesthetics administered to the patient vary depending on the comorbidities the patient has. Therefore, the same amount of anesthetic medication cannot be administered to every patient. Depending on the comorbid disease the patient has, sometimes even endoscopy is not performed because it is considered risky. In light of all we have said, endoscopic devices are one of the most important trump cards of today’s medicine. Nowadays, it is seen that the number of esophagus, stomach and large intestine cancers has increased significantly due to the changes in our eating habits and the hormonal foods we consume. These cancers, which were previously detected at the last stage, have now been detected at the early stage with the widespread use of endoscopy. For example, since stomach cancer is the most common cancer in Japan, Japan provides endoscopy screening for all its citizens free of charge. Thus, Japan is the country where stomach cancer is most common but has reduced the death rate from stomach cancer the most. With the development of auxiliary equipment in endoscopy, cancer detected at an early stage can be treated endoscopically without the need for surgery.

Our hospital’s endoscopy unit, with its advanced instruments, equipment, materials and experienced staff, performs upper digestive system (esophagus, stomach and duodenum) and lower digestive system (large intestines) endoscopy between 09.00-18.00 on weekdays and 09.00-14.00 on Saturdays. performs esophagogastroduodenoscopy and rectoscopy along with colonoscopy).