Scoping Out Endscopy: Getting My Gastro On

It's not everyday I get to don blue gloves, white lab coat and do a little endoscoping. But I sure looked like a real Gastro yesterday, when the hoopla down at the zillion square foot exhibitor hall at Digestive Disease Week 2007 was evaporating into the glorious air outside as the 19,000 or so Gastro docs and other Gastro groupies from all over the world made their way back home, went sightseeing or shopping (hey Dr.Mark hope you found Best Buy!.)

And while the Gastros were probably relieved to have some time away from doing endoscopies, I was in heaven--yet again! Let me tell you this was one of the best Gastro weeks I've had in a long time!

Ok. Here I am--do I look, like way, Gastro or what? Ok, maybe not WAY Gastro, but sort of, right? Yea, that strange look on my face is one of sheer amazement and intense concentration--I took this demo seriously and I was in true awe!


The representatives from U.S. Endoscopy were oh so kind to indulge my request to try this endoscopy demo out. Dean Secrest. executive VP of Research and New Product Development (he's in the photo later on in this post)was particularly helpful! Thanks again, Dean! I mean, what better way to understand what endoscopy is all about than to try it--no not an actual patient! But I think they were a bit perplexed at my enthusiasm for experiencing this first hand. What you see here is an actually training model that U.S. Endoscopy makes to train physicians on the use of the endoscopy devices/accessories, which they also make.

Physicians Do Practice Before They Scope

This is good news for us, as patients--docs don't just use this equipment without proper training. So I was relieved to discover the use of these "models" which are designed with pig intestinal linings and stomach. And it looks real!(a cranberry saucy concoction was used to emulate blood.) By the way, prominent gastroenterologists who are leaders in the field of endoscopy used these models to showcase the latest and most innovative endoscopic procedures to their peers from around the world during special sessions this week.

Back to my "learning"session

What I found interesting was the gadget that I was controlling with my hands. To move through the upper GI tract, I rotated a dial-like control with my right hand. I held the device in my left hand (and there is a certain way to hold it so that you have easy control to two button-one to add water and the other to add air/suction.) Why are these buttons key? well, for one the water enables a clear view and cleans the lens, the suction dries the passageway up a bit, and the air inflates the area. Of course,I played around, rather I experimented with the controls, adding air when I was in the stomach so I could have a closer view of the stomach lining. So cool!

Anyway, as I explored the "patient's" upper GI tract I wondered what a doctor would do if they found an abnormality. I know that doctors could remove polyps and take tissue samples. But I asked Dean anyway and he said a doctor would do a biopsy. I asked how--(see I really wanted to do this procedure as well.) By now I'm so excited I'm thinking: Maybe I should have gone to Med school? Maybe I was a gastroenterologist in a previous life?

Anyway, I was given a flexible needle constrained within a plastic catheter(it looked like a long thin green tube--and I think tube actually protects the patient since you wouldn't want to stick a needle, unprotected down the esophagus. Yikes!) I passed through the endoscopic that was already in place in the patient and I watched the monitor until the tube reached the stomach. Then Dean showed me how the needle was pushed through the tube (which we controlled by a syringe attached to the endoscope)and as I watched the monitor, the needle reached the stomach wall where we could complete the biopsy. Very cool!

You can see the stomach on the monitor in this picture. This was my view when I was doing my thing as seen above. From what I could tell, a long lighted tube was placed down the patient's esophagus and into the stomach. I asked Dean if I was seeing anything "abnormal" in the stomach. Unfortunately (for me since I wanted to see what a tumor or lesion or whatever else would be a red flag to a doc) but everything in this stomach was ok.)

Here is what the physician would see (and what I saw during my demo) The gentleman in the photo is Dean by the way:


The procedure I learned about here was upper endoscopy.

So what exactly is an upper endoscopy?

Upper endoscopy enables the physician to look inside the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum (first part of the small intestine). The procedure might be used to discover the reason for swallowing difficulties, nausea, vomiting, reflux, bleeding, indigestion, abdominal pain, or chest pain. Upper endoscopy is also called EGD, which stands for esophagogastroduodenoscopy (eh-SAH-fuh-goh-GAS-troh-doo-AH-duh-NAH-skuh-pee. Source: Revolution Health.

Now, this endoscopic device does many things--not just provide a view or the GI tract. From what I learned about U.S. Endoscopy, this company designs all sorts of innovative and very helpful accessories for the scope, which allow the doctor to take tissue samples, treat tumors that are found in the intestinal tract, clean-out specific areas and even suture,among a lot of other things I'm sure I've missed.

You can see some of the devices and learn about what they do on the U.S. Endoscopy site.

Endoscopy: Should I have one? What can I expect?

Wondering if you need an endoscopy or if it's the right thing for you? Dr. Micheal Brian Fennerty provides insight in his blog post, "Is an endoscopy always the right answer for what ails the gut?"

Have you had an endoscopy? Or do you have any questions about the procedure? Join a discussion on Revolution Health.