Endoscopy - Uses of an endoscopy

An endoscopy is used to investigate unusual symptoms and to help perform types of surgery.

Investigating symptoms

An endoscopy might be recommended to investigate the following symptoms:

experiencing difficulties or pain when swallowing (dysphagia)
persistent abdominal pain
chest pain that is not caused by heart-related conditions
continually feeling sick (nausea) and vomiting
unexplained weight loss
vomiting blood
persistent diarrhoea
blood in your stools

These types of symptoms are usually investigated with a gastroscopy (to examine the upper section of the digestive system) or a colonoscopy (used to examine the bowel). Watch a video on what happens during a colonoscopy.

Other types of endoscopes used to investigate symptoms include:

arthroscope – used to diagnose symptoms such as unexplained joint pain and stiffness
cystoscope – used to diagnose bladder problems such as the involuntary passing of urine (urinary incontinence) and blood in your urine
hysteroscope – used to diagnose problems with the womb, such as unusual vaginal bleeding or repeated miscarriages
endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) – used to take better images of certain internal organs, such as the pancreas, and take tissue samples

An endoscope can also be used to remove a small sample of tissue for further analysis. This is known as a biopsy.

Therapeutic endoscopy

Modified endoscopes that have surgical instruments attached to or passed through them can be used to carry out certain surgical procedures. For example, they may be used to:

remove gallstones, bladder stones or kidney stones
repair a bleeding stomach ulcer
place a stent across areas of narrowing or blockage
tie and seal the fallopian tubes (a technique carried out when a woman wishes to be sterilised)
remove small tumours from the lungs or digestive system
remove fibroids – non-cancerous growths that can develop inside the womb

Laparoscopic surgery

A type of endoscope called a laparoscope is used by surgeons as a visual aid when carrying out keyhole surgery (also known as laparoscopic surgery). During this procedure, small cuts are made, meaning there is less post-operative pain and a faster recovery time compared to traditional open surgery.

Common types of keyhole surgery include:

removal of an inflamed appendix in cases of appendicitis
removing the gallbladder, which is often used to treat gallstones
removing a section of the intestine, which is often used to treat digestive conditions, such as Crohn’s disease or diverticulitis, that do not respond to medication
repairing hernias
removing the womb (hysterectomy)
removing some or all of an organ affected by cancer

Laparoscopies are also widely used to help diagnose many different conditions and investigate certain symptoms. Read more about when a laparoscopy is used.