Here's a pic of a scope. Each of the tubes inside the scope has a different purpose: camera, water, air, and something that can be used to take a biopsy. They also have ones with tiny ultrasound pieces on the end and cost about $50,000. It's amazing where technology has taken medicine. Some procedures that occur in the Endoscopy lab keep patients from having to get surgery.
Thursday, August 10, 2006
Endoscopy
For work this week we were certifying the Gastroenterology clinic. When talking with the clinic we learned they were short a few faculty members and were having a difficult time finding gastroenterologists to hire. When I thought about it, I figured not too many med students would want to go into the field. It didn't sound like one of the most thrilling areas of the body to focus on. Later in the week, the clinic manager took us on a tour of the Endoscopy procedure area. We saw the room where they keep all the scopes and one of the RNs described each of them to us. I have to say, the technology that's been developed for the practice is amazing. 
Here's a pic of a scope. Each of the tubes inside the scope has a different purpose: camera, water, air, and something that can be used to take a biopsy. They also have ones with tiny ultrasound pieces on the end and cost about $50,000. It's amazing where technology has taken medicine. Some procedures that occur in the Endoscopy lab keep patients from having to get surgery.
Here's a pic of a scope. Each of the tubes inside the scope has a different purpose: camera, water, air, and something that can be used to take a biopsy. They also have ones with tiny ultrasound pieces on the end and cost about $50,000. It's amazing where technology has taken medicine. Some procedures that occur in the Endoscopy lab keep patients from having to get surgery.
