This chapter is written for educational purposes, and should not be construed to provide specific legal advice; for that the reader will need to consult his/her own health care attorney. Endoscopic evaluation has become an indispensable and powerful tool for…
Introduction Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third leading cancer diagnosis and the third leading cause of cancer-related death in both men and women in the United States. Colonoscopy is currently the gold standard in CRC prevention by allowing clinicians to…
Introduction Correct patient preparation is essential for all endoscopic procedures because it contributes significantly to the safety and success of the procedure. Many requirements must be considered during the preparatory phase; patient preparation is not limited to statements regarding fasting…
Introduction Sedation is regularly used to facilitate the performance of endoscopic procedures. Sedation practices have noticeably changed over the past decade, with a shift from no or moderate sedation to monitored anesthesia care (MAC) for gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy. Sedation during…
Introduction The therapeutic basis of all electrosurgery is the use of high frequency, alternating electric current to produce heating in living cells. The heating can be manipulated to achieve a desired tissue effect such as cutting, tissue ablation, desiccation, or…
Endoscopic Biopsy Biopsy Techniques Pinch Biopsy Forceps The most common pinch biopsy forceps used worldwide fits through a 2.8-mm biopsy channel ( Fig. 5.1 ). In general, mucosal samples vary from 4 to 8 mm in size. A smaller-sized forcep that…
Introduction The field of gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy has expanded dramatically as new procedures, instruments, and accessories have been introduced into the medical community; more than 20 million GI endoscopies are performed annually in the United States. Although GI endoscopes are…
Endoscopes are flexible instruments combining fiber-optics (for illumination) and charge-coupled devices (for imaging) that are used in medicine to visualize the interior of otherwise inaccessible sites, such as the lumen of hollow organs. Endoscopes are used to examine the gastrointestinal…
Introduction The safe and efficient performance of gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy has the following requirements: A properly trained endoscopist with appropriate privileges to perform specific GI endoscopic procedures Properly trained nursing and ancillary personnel Operational, well-maintained equipment Adequately designed and equipped…
Introduction The role of the physician is to observe, detect anatomic abnormalities or disease, and conceive ways and means by which discovered deficiencies in function can be corrected or ameliorated. To extend the physical examination to areas hidden from external…