ABSTRACT
Endoscopy Background The advent of the fiberoptic and subsequendy endoscopic technology has al
lowed the surgeon to examine the upper and lower GI tract. This has provided a cost-effective means of cancer surveillance, monitoring of gastrointestinal pathol ogy as well as enhancing minimally invasive therapeutic options. Endoscopy is con sidered both a diagnostic and therapeutic intervention for this reason. The surgeon should have a basic understanding o f the scope mechanism as well as the most com mon disease processes that the scope can be used to diagnose and treat.
