What is an Endoscope?

Simply put, an endoscope is a long, thin, tubular medical device equipped with a light source and a miniature camera. It allows doctors to enter the body through natural orifices (such as the esophagus, stomach, and intestines) or through a small incision to directly observe the internal conditions of organs and tissues.

It consists of three main components:

• Light guide: Provides illumination, illuminating the interior of the body cavity.
• Image transmission system: Transmits real-time images of the body to an external screen.
• Operation channel: Allows doctors to insert micro-instruments such as biopsy forceps and electrocautery to perform procedures such as biopsy, hemostasis, or lesion removal.
  

Types of Endoscopes: From Wired to Wireless

Endoscopes can be categorized into several types based on their purpose and the site of entry. The most common are gastroscopes and colonoscopes, which are used for the digestive system.

• Gastroscopes: Primarily used to examine the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum, they are important for diagnosing gastritis, ulcers, polyps, and early-stage gastric cancer.
  
  
• Colonoscopes: Used to examine the large and small intestines. Colonoscopy is an important method for detecting and removing colon polyps and preventing colorectal cancer.
  
  

In addition, there are several specialized types of endoscopes, such as:

Wireless capsule endoscopes: Patients simply swallow a capsule-sized endoscope, which captures images of the interior of the small intestine at a rate of several frames per second and wirelessly transmits these images to a receiver outside the body. This noninvasive and painless method is particularly suitable for examining small intestinal diseases.

What are the Main Conditions for Endoscopy?

Endoscopy is not only used for diagnosis but also an important tool for screening and monitoring many diseases.

• Diagnosis of gastrointestinal symptoms: When unexplained abdominal pain, difficulty swallowing, acid reflux, nausea, vomiting, or gastrointestinal bleeding occur, endoscopy can help doctors identify the cause.
  
  
• Polyp and tumor screening: Endoscopy is an important method for screening for early-stage gastrointestinal cancers. During the examination, doctors can detect and remove precancerous lesions (such as polyps), preventing the progression of the disease.
  
  
• Lesion Monitoring: For diagnosed conditions, such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, doctors perform regular endoscopic examinations to assess disease progression and treatment effectiveness.
  
  

Advanced Applications of Endoscopy: From Diagnosis to Treatment

The role of endoscopy is not limited to observation; in many cases, it can also serve as a treatment.

• Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS): Combining endoscopy and ultrasound technology, it can provide deeper tissue imaging, often used to assess the depth of invasion of gastrointestinal tumors and surrounding lymph nodes.
  
  
• Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP): Used for the diagnosis and treatment of biliary and pancreatic diseases, such as gallstones, strictures, or tumors. ERCP allows doctors to remove stones, place stents, or perform biopsies.
  
  
• Minimally Invasive Endoscopic Treatments: Many conditions that once required open surgery can now be performed endoscopically, such as:
  • Gastrointestinal Hemostasis: Electrocoagulation or spraying of hemostatic drugs to treat bleeding lesions.
  • Polypectomy: Directly removes digestive tract polyps to prevent them from becoming cancerous.
  • Early Stage Surgical Dissection (ESD): For early-stage digestive tract cancers, doctors can completely dissect the lesion through endoscopy, achieving radical cure with minimal trauma and rapid recovery.
    
    

The development of endoscopy has greatly advanced modern medicine. It enables doctors to gain a comprehensive understanding of the human body's internal structure with relatively minimal invasiveness, allowing for precise treatment. With continued technological advancements, future endoscopes will become even smaller and more intelligent, potentially incorporating AI-assisted diagnosis to further aid in the early detection and treatment of diseases.

About Ningbo LINSTANT Polymer Materials Co., Ltd.

Ningbo LINSTANT Polymer Materials Co., Ltd. was established in 2014 and has since grown into a national-level high-tech enterprise with over 500 professional staff members. The company is committed to transcending the role of a traditional component supplier, striving to become an integral part of its customers' products. From precise matching during the collaborative design phase to reliability assurance during manufacturing, LINSTANT deeply integrates into the core value chain of its customers' products, transforming catheter technology into a core competitive advantage for their products. Through continuous technological innovation and stringent quality control, we are capable of providing medical device companies with safer, more precise, and more technologically advanced customised catheter system solutions.