Endoscopy and colonoscopy are important methods for the early diagnosis of important diseases such as cancer, over which people sometimes hesitate. For example, causes such as vomiting of unknown cause, anemia, constipation, and blood in the stool are important symptoms to consult a physician. Yeditepe University Kozyatağı Hospital Gastroenterology Specialist Prof. Dr. Meltem Ergün said that endoscopy is not a painful procedure as it is thought and that the patient does not feel any pain because the necessary precautions are taken and moderate anesthesia is given. 

“It Is Not True That It Causes Pain”

Expressing that patients are afraid because of rumors about endoscopy or colonoscopy, Prof. Dr. Meltem Ergün said, “Patients often think that the procedure will be painful or that they will be uncomfortable during the procedure. Actually, this is not true. These concerns stem from bad experiences in the past that have caused rumors. Endoscopy and colonoscopy are not performed as in the past. The procedure is now performed with mild anesthesia. Therefore, the patient does not feel anything during the procedure. We say 'let's go to sleep now' and our patient falls asleep at that moment. When we say 'our procedure is over', our patient asks, 'Did you do it? When did it happen?'. Moderate anesthesia is used in both endoscopy and colonoscopy procedures. The patient does not remember anything about the procedure and has no pain. He/she doesn't even remember our first oral entry with an endoscope.”

“Endoscopy Can Also Be Performed on Obese or Elderly Patients”

Stating that endoscopy can be performed on elderly patients and obese patients by taking the necessary precautions, but additional diseases should be examined well, Yeditepe University Kozyatağı Hospital Gastroenterology Specialist Prof. Dr. Meltem Ergün said, “The information that endoscopy cannot be performed on elderly or obese patients is not correct. We carefully evaluate these patients beforehand. If the patient has a COPD disease, has a cardiovascular problem, or underwent a previous serious operation, then we get opinions from the relevant branch. Endoscopy can be performed safely even for a 180-kg patient.”

“It Can Be Used for Both Diagnosis and Treatment”

Stating that endoscopy and colonoscopy procedures are also used for treatment purposes, Prof. Meltem Ergün said, “If we detect formations called polyps in the patient on which we perform a colonoscopy, we remove them during the procedure and treat them. Again, if we detect a bleeding focus during the endoscopy procedure, we stop the bleeding by injection or by burning the relevant focus.”

These Symptoms Need Attention

Gastroenterology Specialist Prof. Dr. Meltem Ergün, who said that patients with alarm symptoms should definitely undergo an endoscopic procedure, listed these symptoms as follows:

• Weight loss of unknown cause.
• Anemia of unknown cause.
• Vomiting of unknown cause.
• Resistant constipations.
• Blood in the stool.

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