Endoscopy Unit

The Endoscopy Unit at CVMC is where patients come to receive a variety of endoscopic procedures for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. An endoscopy uses an endoscope—a thin, flexible tube with a light and a lens on the end—to look inside a patient in order to diagnose or treat conditions of the airways, esophagus, stomach, duodenum, small intestine, colon or rectum.

Education

Education is an important component of our Endoscopy Unit. The dedication and commitment of the Endoscopy nurses in promoting colon cancer awareness, screening and prevention is unparalleled.

Procedures

At CVMC, the following endoscopy procedures are performed:

Bronchoscopy

A Bronchoscopy is a procedure used to diagnosis and treat problems of the airway (upper airway, vocal chords, trachea and lungs). It is a technique that allows doctors to look at the inside of a patient’s airways using a thin instrument, called a bronchoscope, which is typically inserted into the airways through the nose or mouth. For this outpatient procedure, patients usually receive a light sedative and a local anesthetic.

Colonoscopy

A colonoscopy is a procedure used to look for early signs of colorectal cancer, as well as diagnose other conditions. The procedure uses a video camera on the end of a flexible scope to directly look at the colon lining. This is an outpatient procedure that is typically conducted under light anesthesia.

Gastroscopy

A gastroscopy is the examination of the inside of the gullet, stomach and duodenum. It is performed by using a thin, flexible fibre-optic instrument that is passed through the mouth and allows doctors to see whether there is any damage to the lining of the oesophagus (gullet) or stomach, and whether there are any ulcers in the stomach or duodenum. This is an outpatient procedure that is usually done under a light sedative.