Endoscopic Procedures

Endoscopic procedures allow physicians to examine the inside of the body by inserting a long, flexible lighted instrument called an endoscope into openings in the body, such as through the rectum or the throat. Gastrointestinal endoscopy procedures are a common type of endoscopic procedure that may be performed to evaluate and treat disorders of the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, colon and the pancreas and bile ducts.

Often endoscopic evaluation is used detect early signs of cancer, greatly increasing the chances for successful treatment. For example, early diagnosis of colorectal cancer can lead to better outcomes for colorectal cancer treatment, including colon cancer surgery.

The Endoscopy Center at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) provides endoscopic procedures in a state-of-the-art medical facility for patients in the greater Boston area and the New England region. The Center is recognized as one of the leading endoscopic centers in the country.

Endoscopic procedures offered at the Center include:

• Colonoscopy, which allows endoscopic evaluation of the lining of the rectum and colon and may include polypectomy to remove polyps during the procedure
• Bronchoscopy, used to evaluate the lungs and airways
• Capsule endoscopy, in which a small capsule containing a miniature camera is swallowed to transmit images of the digestive tract
• Flexible sigmoidoscopy, which enables evaluation of the rectum and sigmoid colon

The Endoscopy Center at BWH also provides advanced endoscopic services, including:

• Endoscopic ultrasound, a procedure that uses endoscopy techniques to transmit ultrasound images
• Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), a procedure used to treat biliary and pancreatic diseases
• Endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR), used to remove abnormal growths in the digestive tract
• Deep enteroscopy, a procedure used to evaluate and treat small intestine disorders that involve bleeding

Researchers at BWH are also involved in leading several trials of innovative endoscopic techniques to provide bariatric surgery procedures with less risk and fewer complications to patients.

Learn more about endoscopic procedures at BWH.

Brigham and Women's Hospital: a leader in endoscopic procedures for disease evaluation and treatment.

The Endoscopy Center at BWH is designated as a Center of Excellence by the World Organization of Digestive Endoscopy, one of only 17 such endoscopic programs in the world. As part of the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endoscopy at BWH, the Center is committed to the hospital's mission to advance the field of gastroenterology through development of innovative endoscopic methods and technologies for diagnosis and treatment.

For patients in the greater Boston area requiring an endoscopic procedure, BWH features two convenient locations: one at our main campus at 75 Francis Street in Boston's Longwood Medical area, and the second at the BWH Ambulatory Care Center at 850 Boylston Street in Chestnut Hill, which provides complimentary parking for patients and visitors.

Learn more about Endoscopic Procedures at Brigham and Women's Hospital.