Endoscopist
Endoscopist - a doctor who conducts instrumental research using a lighting and optical system. This procedure allows you to inspect the internal tubular or cavity organs without resorting to surgery.
Endoscopy, as a branch of medicine, got its name from the Greek words "endon" - inside and "skopeo" - to look, explore.
Endoscopy has found its widespread use for diagnostic purposes and in the treatment of many diseases in gastroenterology, surgery, otorhinolaryngology, pulmonology and other fields of medicine.
The endoscopy instrument is an endoscope, which is a flexible long tube ending in a lens. The image obtained from the endoscope with the condition of the inner surface of the organ is transmitted to a special screen from which the endoscopist can take a photograph.
For what purposes is endoscopy used?
The work of an endoscopist doctor allows for early diagnosis and treatment of many serious diseases, such as tuberculosis, stomach and lung cancer, various forms of female infertility.
The work of an endoscopist is necessary to carry out:
- Diagnostics. The endoscope allows you to see the color of mucous membranes, erosions, ulcers, scars, neoplasms and mark its differences from the norm. The endoscopist transfers the obtained data to the attending physician for the diagnosis. Also, with the help of an endoscope, you can find the source of bleeding without resorting to surgical intervention;
- Treatments. An endoscope can be used to inject drugs directly into the affected area. The ability to insert surgical instruments with an endoscope allows the endoscopist to perform therapeutic procedures such as removing small polyps or laser therapy;
- Monitoring the course of treatment. Due to the fact that endoscopy allows you to take photographs of pathological areas, repeated examination helps the endoscopist to trace the dynamics of the development of the disease and record positive and negative changes occurring during treatment;
- Biopsy. If necessary, histological and histochemical studies, an endoscopist can take material from the surfaces of the mucous membranes of damaged organs for subsequent transfer to the laboratory for analysis.
Examination by a doctor endoscopist
Endoscopic procedures are usually well tolerated by patients due to the fact that the mucous membrane on which medical procedures are performed is devoid of nerve endings.
However, diagnostic and surgical endoscopic examinations are recommended to be performed under general anesthesia. This practice is accepted in many developed countries, which allows the procedure to be carried out as comfortably as possible for the endoscopist doctor and patient: the doctor can perform the necessary complex of diagnostics or treatment accurately and quickly, and the patient does not feel discomfort.
The work of an endoscopist doctor is necessary for a wide range of diseases, including:
- Gastrojejunal ulcer;
- Stomach and duodenal ulcer;
- Duodenitis;
- Chronic ulcer and cicatricial deformation of the duodenal bulb;
- Esophageal varicose veins, esophageal diverticula, Mallory-Weiss syndrome;
- Papillitis;
- Benign tumors and cancer of the esophagus;
- Colon cancer and polypectomy.
The main types of research carried out by an endoscopist
Depending on the organs under study, the endoscopist's work is distinguished:
- Bronchoscopy - examination of the bronchi;
- Sigmoidoscopy - examination of the distal sigmoid colon and rectum;
- Ventriculoscopy - examination of the ventricles of the brain;
- Gastroscopy - examination of the stomach;
- Arthroscopy - examination of the joints;
- Hysteroscopy - endoscopy of the uterine cavity;
- Angioscopy - vascular examination;
- Cardioscopy - examination of the cavities of the heart chambers;
- Colonoscopy - endoscopy of the colon (mucous membrane);
- Thoracoscopy - examination of the chest cavity;
- Fistuloscopy - examination of internal and external fistulas;
- Colposcopy - examination of the vaginal walls and the entrance to the vagina;
- Esophagogastroduodenoscopy - examination and treatment of the stomach cavity, esophagus and duodenum 12;
- Cystoscopy - examination of the bladder;
- Laparoscopy - abdominal endoscopy;
- Cholangioscopy - examination and treatment of the bile ducts;
- Ureteroscopy - examination of the ureter;
- Otoscopy - endoscopy of the tympanic membrane and external auditory canal.
How to become an endoscopist
In order to work as an endoscopist, you must have a higher medical education, which corresponds to the specialization. In addition to medical knowledge, an endoscopist doctor must be able to work with a computer and the necessary equipment.
Found a mistake in the text? Select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
