Endoscopy Procedure
Description, Latest Information and Doctors

Learn About Endoscopy

HOW THE TEST IS PERFORMED

An endoscope is passed through a natural body opening or small cut. There are many types of endoscopes. Each one is named according to the organs or areas they are used to examine.

HOW TO PREPARE FOR THE TEST

Preparation for the procedure varies depending on the test. For example, there is no preparation needed for anoscopy. But a special diet and laxatives are needed to prepare for a colonoscopy. Follow your health care provider's instructions.

HOW THE TEST WILL FEEL

All of these tests may cause discomfort or pain. Some are done after sedatives and pain medicines are given. Check with your provider about what to expect.

WHY THE TEST IS PERFORMED

Each endoscopy test is done for different reasons. Endoscopy is most often used to examine and treat parts of the digestive tract, such as:

  • Anoscopy views the inside of the anus, the very lowest part of the colon.
  • Colonoscopy views the inside of the colon (large intestine) and rectum.
  • Enteroscopy views the inside of the small intestine (small bowel).
  • ERCP (endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography) views the biliary tract, small tubes that drain the gallbladder, liver, and pancreas.
  • Sigmoidoscopy views the inside of the lower part of the colon called the sigmoid colon and rectum.
  • Upper endoscopy (esophagogastroduodenoscopy, or EGD) views the inside of the esophagus, stomach, and first part of the small intestine (called the duodenum).
  • Bronchoscopy is used to look in the airways (windpipe, or trachea) and lungs.
  • Cystoscopy is used to view the inside of the bladder. The scope is passed through the opening of the urethra.
  • Laparoscopy is used to look directly at the ovaries, appendix, or other abdominal organs. The scope is inserted through small surgical cuts in the pelvic or belly area. Tumors or organs in the abdomen or pelvis can be removed.
  • Arthroscopy is used to look directly in the joints, such as the knee. The scope is inserted through small surgical cuts around the joint. Problems with bones, tendons, ligaments can be treated.
What is the definition of Endoscopy?

Endoscopy is a way of looking inside the body using a flexible tube that has a small camera and light on the end of it. This instrument is called an endoscope.

Small instruments can be inserted through an endoscope and used to:

  • Look more closely at an area inside the body
  • Take samples of abnormal tissues (biopsy)
  • Treat certain diseases
  • Remove tumors
  • Stop bleeding
  • Remove foreign bodies (such as food stuck in the esophagus, the tube that connects your throat to your stomach)
What are the risks?

Each endoscopy test has its own risks. Your provider will explain the risks to you before the procedure.

Who are the top Endoscopy Local Doctors?
Elite in Endoscopy
Elite in Endoscopy

Regents Of The University Of California

200 W Arbor Dr, 
San Diego, CA 
Languages Spoken:
English
Offers Telehealth

Manoj Monga is a Urologist in San Diego, California. Dr. Monga is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in Endoscopy. His top areas of expertise are Kidney Stones, Urinary Tract Infection (UTI), Perirenal Abscess, Lithotripsy, and Ureteroscopy.

Mouen Khashab
Elite in Endoscopy
Gastroenterology
Elite in Endoscopy
Gastroenterology

The Johns Hopkins Hospital

1800 Orleans Street, 
Baltimore, MD 
Languages Spoken:
English, Arabic

Gastroenterologist Mouen Khashab specializes in therapeutic endoscopy, and he oversees this group of practitioners across the Johns Hopkins enterprise. Nationally and internationally known in the field of interventional endoscopy, Dr. Khashab has contributed immensely to the field’s advancement as a minimally invasive means to treat gastrointestinal and pancreaticobiliary disorders. Dr. Khashab earned his medical degree from the American University of Beirut Faculty of Medicine, and subsequently completed a residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in gastroenterology at Indiana University. He then completed a two-year fellowship at The Johns Hopkins Hospital before joining the faculty in 2011. A busy researcher, Dr. Khashab has published more than 600 papers in peer-reviewed journals. In 2013, he described the procedure called gastric peroral endoscopic myotomy (known as G-POEM) and was able to disseminate and teach it all over the world. Other procedures that he expanded include peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM), peroral endoscopic myotomy with fundoplication (POEM-F), Zenker’s peroral endoscopic myotomy (Z-POEM) and full thickness resection. In 2022, he received the Master Endoscopist Award from the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) for his numerous contributions to the field. His procedural expertise includes endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), endoscopic ultrasound (EUS), interventional EUS, submucosal endoscopy, POEM/achalasia, endoscopic mucosal resection, endoscopic submucosal dissection, luminal stenting, large polyp resection and Barrett’s therapy, among others. Dr. Khashab is involved with multiple gastrointestinal societies and has served on many committees, including the ASGE Standards of Practice Committee, which is in charge of formulating guidelines for the practice of endoscopy. He has also served as an associate editor for the journal Endoscopy, a premier journal in the field. Khashab is a highly sought-after speaker at national and international conferences, and he has participated in multiple live endoscopy conferences. Outside of academic medicine, Dr. Khashab is an entrepreneur. His major interest is in new technology and medical devices, and his goal is to disrupt the field by introducing technology that makes endoscopic procedures safer, easier, efficient and more scalable. Dr. Khashab is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in Endoscopy. His top areas of expertise are Achalasia, Pancreatic Pseudocyst, Bile Duct Obstruction, Endoscopy, and Gastric Bypass.

 
 
 
 
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Christopher C. Thompson
Elite in Endoscopy
Gastroenterology | Hepatology
Elite in Endoscopy
Gastroenterology | Hepatology

Brigham And Women's Crohn's And Colitis Center

850 Boylston Street, Suite 201 Mass General Brigham Healthcare Center, 
Chestnut Hill, MA 
Languages Spoken:
English

Dr. Christopher C. Thompson is the Director of Endoscopy at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH), Co-director of the Center for Weight Management and Wellness, and Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School.  He is also the Advanced Endoscopy Fellowship Program Director and clinical faculty at Boston Children’s Hospital and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.  Dr. Thompson’s clinical interests include endoscopic surgery applied to foregut conditions, with a focus on endoscopic treatment of obesity, GERD, Zenker’s diverticula, achalasia, gastroparesis,  postsurgical complications, and pancreatobiliary disease.  He spends the majority of his time performing these advanced endoscopic procedures and also cares for these patients in the ambulatory setting.  The remainder of his time is devoted to research in endoscopic surgery, with a focus on device development, clinical outcomes, and endoscopic education. His research has resulted in numerous patents, development of new endoscopic procedures, and over 300 publications.  He was awarded the Brigham and Women’s Physician Organization Clinical Innovation Award in 2007 for developing and performing the first endoscopic suturing procedure to treat obesity.  He also invented anastomosis technology, which has been shown to treat type 2 diabetes effectively in early clinical trials.  He was responsible for much of the early work in Bariatric Endoscopy, having been called the founding father of the field, and edited the first textbook and video atlas on the subject.  Some of his other important clinical innovations include the development of new endoscopic techniques for treating pancreatic necrosis, gastric outlet obstruction, sleeve gastrectomy stenosis, pancreaticojejunal anastomotic strictures, and postsurgical complications.  He also developed an endoscopic part-task simulator used by many fellowship programs (the TEST box).These accomplishments have led to a broad clinical referral base, and to national and international invitations for lectureships and live case demonstrations, including the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) Blackwell Lectureship, ACG American Journal of Gastroenterology Lecture, American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Presidential Plenary Lecture, American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) J Edward Berk Presidential Plenary Lecture, ACG Edgar Achkar Visiting Professorship, all post-graduate education courses for the major US gastroenterology and surgical societies, and numerous respected courses throughout Europe, Asia, and South America.  He has also mentored more than 20 fellows, many of whom have gone on to thrive in prestigious academic institutions, and he established the first Fellowship in Bariatric Endoscopy. Dr. Thompson is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in Endoscopy. His top areas of expertise are Obesity, Esophageal Varices, Gastrointestinal Fistula, Endoscopy, and Gastric Bypass.

What are the latest Endoscopy Clinical Trials?
Safety and Efficacy of the Novel SpydrBlade Flex With Radiofrequency and Microwave Ablation Flexible Bipolar for Per-Oral Endoscopic Myotomy in Patients With Achalasia: A Multicenter Prospective Study

Summary: Achalasia is an idiopathic motility disorder, primarily identified by the absence of esophageal peristalsis and the inability of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) to relax properly. Although it is usually misdiagnosed and treated as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), the main symptom is progressive dysphagia, accompanied by additional symptoms like nocturnal cough, heartburn, weight loss, ...

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Phase 1 Trial of ONC201 for Chemoprevention in Colorectal Cancer

Summary: The purpose of this phase I trial is to test the safety and cancer preventive effects of different doses of ONC201 in people with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) or a history of multiple polyps. People with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) or a history of multiple polyps are at higher than average risk of developing colorectal cancer. ONC201, now known as dordaviprone, is a drug that may ...

Who are the sources who wrote this article ?

Published Date: April 21, 2025
Published By: Todd Eisner, MD, Private practice specializing in Gastroenterology in Boca Raton and Delray Beach, Florida at Gastroenterology Consultants of Boca Raton. Affiliate Assistant Professor, Florida Atlantic University School of Medicine. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

What are the references for this article ?

Phillips BB. General principles of arthroscopy. In: Azar FM, Beaty JH, eds. Campbell's Operative Orthopaedics. 14th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 49.

Raymond L, Lentz GM. Endoscopy in minimally invasive gynecologic surgery. In: Gershenson DM, Lentz GM, Valea FA, Lobo RA, eds. Comprehensive Gynecology. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 10.

Sugumar A, Vargo JJ. Preparation for and complications of gastrointestinal endoscopy. In: Feldman M, Friedman LS, Brandt LJ, eds. Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 42.

Yu DH, Feller-Kopman D. Tracheobronchial endoscopy. In: Flint PW, Francis HW, Haughey BH, et al, eds. Cummings Otolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 71.