The Endoscopy Unit of the Mediterranean Hospital of Cyprus, is located on the hospital lower level, attached to the Operation Theatres Department. It is fully equipped to support the safe performance of endoscopic examinations and interventions.

Besides the endoscopic equipment, an anaesthesiology machine is also available for use in cases needed for more complex cases.

The Endoscopy Unit is used for both diagnostic and therapeutic medical interventions by Gastroenterologists and Pulmonary physicians.

The following medical interventions can be performed in the unit:

Bronchoscopy

This is an endoscopic technique of visualizing the inside of the airway for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. An instrument (bronchoscope) is inserted into the airways, usually through the nose or mouth, or occasionally through a tracheostomy. This allows the practitioner to examine the patient's airways for abnormalities such as foreign bodies, bleeding, tumors, or inflammation.

Specimens may be taken from inside the lungs. The construction of bronchoscopes ranges from rigid metal tubes with attached lighting devices to flexible optical fiber instruments with realtime video equipment.

Gastroscopy

A gastroscopy is a test where an operator (a doctor or nurse) looks into the upper part of your gut (the upper gastrointestinal tract). The upper gut consists of the oesophagus (gullet), stomach and duodenum. The operator uses an endoscope to look inside your gut. Therefore, the test is sometimes called endoscopy.An endoscope is a thin, flexible telescope. It is about as thick as a little finger. The endoscope is passed through the mouth, into the oesophagus and down towards the stomach and duodenum.
The tip of the endoscope contains a light and a tiny video camera so the operator can see inside your gut. The endoscope also has a 'side channel' down which various instruments can pass. These can be manipulated by the operator. For example, the operator may take a small sample (biopsy) from the inside lining of the stomach by using a thin 'grabbing' instrument which is passed down a side channel.

A colonoscopy is an outpatient procedure in which the inside of the large intestine (colon and rectum) is examined. A colonoscopy is commonly used to evaluate gastrointestinal symptoms, such as rectal and intestinal bleeding, abdominal pain, or changes in bowel habits. Colonoscopies are also performed in individuals without symptoms to check for colorectal polyps or cancer. A screening colonoscopy is recommended for anyone 50 years of age and older, and for anyone with parents, siblings or children with a history of colorectal cancer or polyps.

Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy

A PEG is a safe and effective way to provide food, liquids and medications (when appropriate) directly into the stomach. The procedure is done for patients who are having difficulty swallowing. Your physician may have recommended this procedure to patients in order to maintain adequate nutrition.

During the procedure, a physician places an endoscope (a long, thin, flexible instrument) into your mouth. The endoscope is then advanced through your esophagus (the "food pipe" leading from your mouth into your stomach) and into your stomach. The endoscope is used to ensure correct positioning of the PEG tube (also called a feeding tube) in your stomach. The PEG tube rests in the stomach and exits through the skin of the abdomen.

Endoscopic Intragastric Balloon

Gastric balloon surgery is an endoscopic procedure and generally takes about twenty to thirty minutes to perform. You will be sedated but not asleep whilst a deflated balloon is inserted into the stomach directly through the mouth and oesophagus. Once the balloon is in the correct position it is inflated with saline through a valve.

The gastric balloon is a soft, silicon balloon that is inserted into the stomach and filled with sterile saline. It is designed to partially fill your stomach, giving you the feeling of fullness and make you feel less hungry. This type of weight loss treatment can help you lose weight without invasive surgery.