Endoscopy

Endoscopy uses special tools to examine hard-to-reach organs inside the body, such as the digestive tract, lungs, pancreas or rectum. During an endoscopy, a thin flexible tube with an attached camera is inserted through a small incision or a natural opening in the body. Instruments can be passed through the endoscope, enabling our experts to diagnose and treat a variety of conditions without the need for exploratory surgery.

Reasons for endoscopy

Endoscopy is performed for a variety of reasons. Procedures are often used to evaluate a specific part of the body for infection or damage. At other times, endoscopy is done to check for signs of cancer or to determine the stage of a cancer. Your doctor can explain the purpose of your procedure and how the results will be used. Learn more about our Cancer Centers, screenings, treatments options and services.

Endoscopic procedures

At Edward-Elmhurst Health, we offer state-of-the-art endoscopic services to provide you and your doctor with precise and timely results. Our minimally invasive procedures include:

  • Bronchoscopy – examines the airways and lungs
  • Endoscopic bronchosopy ultrasound (EBUS)
  • Esophageal manometry – measures the function of the lower esophageal sphincter (the valve that prevents reflux of gastric acid into the esophagus) and the muscles of the esophagus. This test will tell your doctor if your esophagus is able to move food to your stomach normally
  • Colonoscopy – detects changes in the large intestine, rectum and colon
  • Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) – adds ultrasound capability to the endoscope to capture interior images of organs
  • Flexible sigmoidoscopy – evaluates the lower part of the large intestine
  • Standard endoscopy – evaluates the digestive tract
  • ERCP (endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography) - specialized technique to examine the pancreatic and bile ducts
  • Fecal microbiota transplant (FMT) – treats chronic C. difficile (C. diff)

Most endoscopic procedures are performed under mild sedation and patients generally go home the same day.

Edward-Elmhurst also offers a wide range of imaging and radiology procedures and other minimally invasive options to diagnose and treat disease.