HSC Medical Center provides Colonoscopy and Upper Endoscopy services to detect abnormalities and to take tissue from the gastrointestinal tract. The procedures are safe, simple and quick.

An endoscope is a small, flexible tube with a light and a lens on the end used to look into the esophagus, stomach, duodenum, colon, or rectum. It can also be used to take tissue from the body for testing or to take color photographs of the inside of the body. Colonoscopes and sigmoidoscopes are types of endoscopes and are described below:

Colonoscopy allows the physician to view the entire length of the large intestine. It involves inserting a colonoscope in through the rectum up into the colon. The colonoscope allows the physician to see the lining of the colon, remove tissue for further examination and possibly treat some problems that are discovered. The typical indications for colonoscopy include:

Examines inside of the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum. An endoscope is guided into the mouth and throat, then into the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum. The endoscope allows the physician to view the inside of this area of the body, as well as to insert instruments through a scope for the removal of a sample of tissue for biopsy (if necessary). The physician can see abnormalities through the endoscope that don't show up well on x-rays, like inflammation or bleeding. The typical indications for gastroscopy include:

• H. pylori