What You Need To Know About Advanced Gastrointestinal (GI) Interventional Endoscopy

Advanced gastrointestinal (GI) interventional endoscopy is an endoscopic procedure used to diagnose and treat a wide range of gastrointestinal diseases. These diseases are conditions the involve the esophagus, stomach, biliary system, pancreas, and even the small bowel and colon.

Some of the known applications of advanced GI interventional endoscopy includes the following:

• removal of bile duct stones
• GI tract stenting which is a common palliative treatment for esophageal and gastric cancer
• control of GI bleeding which is common in cases like diverticulitis, inflammatory bowel disease, polyps, and gastrointestinal cancer   

Unlike traditional gastric surgeries, advanced GI interventional endoscopy only makes use of thin flexible tubes inserted into the body’s orifice like the mouth. Because it doesn’t require an open surgery, patients who are avoiding invasive procedures are opting for this kind of procedure.

Aside from faster healing process and less chances of getting infection and post-op bleeding, this form of interventional endoscopy is also preferred by many patients because it can be done in an outpatient basis. In fact, patients can return on the same day that the procedure is done.

Interventional Endoscopy vs Diagnostic Endoscopy

Interventional endoscopy and diagnostic endoscopy may have similarities as they are both endoscopic procedures but they have distinct differences too.

As its name implies, diagnostic endoscopy is basically used for diagnosing diseases. This endoscopic procedure inspects the lining of the gastrointestinal tract with the use of an endoscope. The tiny light and camera at the tip of the endoscope guides the doctor as he advances the tube into the gastrointestinal tract.

Interventional endoscopy is also used for diagnosing gastrointestinal diseases. However, on top of that, it can also be used to treat these diseases. Interventional endoscopy  allows endoscopists to perform surgeries from the inside. This is made possible through a channel within an endoscope where a specialist can insert miniature instruments like tissue sampling devices, injection catheters, thermal coagulation probes, and needles and knives to perform the procedure.

At present, several hospitals in the United States are offering this type of endoscopic procedure including the advanced gastrointestinal interventional endoscopy.