An endoscopy is a medical procedure that is used to examine parts of the body that are not externally accessible. These parts include the internal lining of the entire digestive system, and the internal lining of the urethra, bladder and kidneys. When a person is suffering from some disease that affects the internal lining of these parts of the body, an endoscopy may be ordered. The endoscopy is usually ordered after certain symptoms have been reported. For stomach related problems, for example, the endoscopy will be ordered if issues like reflux, pain and continuous indigestion are reported by the patient. These symptoms could be caused by numerous different conditions that affect the stomach and it is important to have a look inside the organ to diagnose the nature of the condition. Another test that can be conducted along with the endoscopy procedure is a biopsy.
A biopsy is a procedure where a sample of tissue is sliced or scraped off an organ or part of the body. This tissue sample is usually collected from an area where a visible abnormality has been noted. If there is a tumor or abnormal growth, a sample of its tissue would be collected in order to gain access to vital information about the structure and malignancy of the tissue.
A stomach endoscopy procedure is conducted by inserting an endoscope from the mouth of the individual and sending it down the throat into the stomach. The endoscope is usually flexible and contains some lenses and a lighting device at the front. The images from these lenses are then broadcasted on a television or computer screen for the doctor to analyze as the procedure goes on. In many cases, an endoscope contains a second tube to allow other surgical equipment to be passed in and operated. These surgical instruments are usually extremely small and could be used to carefully collect a sample of tissue from the endoscopy site.
There are risks associated with an endoscopy stomach biopsy. Primarily, the risk involved is identical to any endoscopy procedure and that is the risk of damaging or scraping the lining of the throat or stomach. Anesthesia is sometimes used on the throat to prevent the gag reflex from occurring and there is a risk, post procedure, of the patient choking if the gag reflex has not recovered and the patient attempts to eat solid or semisolid food. The biopsy procedure could be risky if it causes bleeding due to damage while collecting sample. In this case, the wound may need to be cauterized.