Endoscopy Vs. Colonoscopy: Understanding The Differences

Endoscopy and colonoscopy are vital noninvasive procedures in gastroenterology (a speciality concerned with the digestive system and its diseases). They help diagnose and treat various digestive tract ailments. Although the two methods are very similar, they are different in their use and treatment.

In fact, research shows that colonoscopies are a type of endoscopy. The two terms are most often interchangeable. Knowing the difference between these two digestive tract procedures is essential as two have different clinical applications unique to two specific body parts. In this blog, let's explore the differences between endoscopy and colonoscopy and their benefits.

What Is An Endoscopy Procedure?

An endoscopy procedure refers to a broader range of procedures involving an endoscope. An endoscope is one of the endoscopy devices that looks like a thin, long rod with a flexible tube attached to a small camera on one end. This digestive procedure allows doctors or medical professionals to view and operate on the internal organs directly without requiring a direct incision into your body. 

A successful endoscopic procedure involves your doctor inserting the endoscope through an opening inside your body, typically your mouth or through a small incision, producing high-quality images of the affected area or part of your body. This helps perform better diagnosis and bypass procedures.  Some common body parts that require endoscopic procedures are the oesophagus, stomach, rectum and colon.

Endoscopy Benefits

As an endoscopy assists in treating, diagnosing and determining a problem or ailment inside the body, there are numerous endoscopy benefits for patients and medical professionals. Some of the expected endoscopy benefits include:

• An endoscopy procedure is a vital part of diagnoses for the digestive tract. Some of the common reasons your doctor might order an endoscopy procedure include suspicion of a tumour, obstructions, ulcers, gallstones, bleeding and more.
• One of the fears that patients face with such procedures is the amount of pain they have to suffer because of an incision or probing. With endoscopy, you always have a painless and comfortable option.
• This procedure is also incredibly vital in a plethora of treatments as well. Right from treating illnesses simultaneously with the operation to removing a foreign item, doctors use it to insert different tools through the endoscope.

What Is A Colonoscopy Procedure?

As mentioned, colonoscopy is an endoscopic procedure that explicitly deals with issues in the colon, large intestine, or rectum. It uses a tool called a colonoscope. This medical tool is similar to an endoscope but slightly longer, usually able to inspect the entire length of a colon.

The colonoscopy procedure is also minimally invasive, and usually, doctors insert the tube from your anus into your colon. Doctors might sometimes even remove some tissue for further analysis and biopsy-related issues.

Colonoscopy Benefits

Colonoscopy benefits in operations and procedures are related to the colon, rectum, and long intestines. Some of the key benefits of a colonoscopy procedure that you might enjoy as the patient are:

• One of the benefits of colonoscopy is that it can diagnose unexplained weight loss, chronic constipation or diarrhoea, severe abdominal pain, blood in the stool, and a change in bowel movements.
• They also help diagnose chronic conditions such as colon cancer or bowel inflammation. Doctors recommend a routine colonoscopy procedure for middle-aged or older adults.
• A colonoscopy is also helpful in looking for polyps—a clump of cells that form inside the inner lining of your colon. Over time, polyps can lead to colon cancer.

Key Differences Between Endoscopy And Colonoscopy

Both of the above procedures are valuable diagnostic tools, offering high-resolution visualisation of the digestive tract and, at times, therapeutic interventions. The two procedures also share many similarities in their tools and how they are used for diagnosis and treatment.

There are also some key differences between endoscopy and colonoscopy procedures. Here's deeper insights into a couple of them.

Area Of Examination

One key difference between endoscopy and colonoscopy is the area of examination or procedure. A colonoscopy helps determine the diagnosis, treatments, and interventions for digestive parts such as the colon, large intestine, and rectum. At the same time, the endoscopic procedure examines areas of the body, mainly the upper digestive system, including the oesophagus, stomach, and duodenum.

Preparation & Procedures

Another key difference between endoscopy and colonoscopy procedures is the preparation method and procedures. When scheduling an endoscopy, the doctor will ask you to stop taking blood thinners and avoid eating food and beverages for 6 hours before the procedure. An endoscopy typically focuses more on the upper gastrointestinal parts regarding procedures.

In contrast, a colonoscopy has a complicated preparation period wherein your doctor might recommend you consume only clear liquids for 24 hours before your procedure with directions on how to clean your stool with a prescription for cleansing solution or laxative products for an easy evaluation. A colonoscopy procedure is usually for the lower gastrointestinal tract.

Risks

An endoscopy or upper endoscopy is a relatively low-risk procedure. However, some of the risk factors that you might encounter are bleeding due to complications from other procedures performed with endoscopy, infections, organ perforation, and allergic reactions to anaesthesia.

In contrast, the risk for colonoscopy procedures is perforation of the colon, severe abdominal pain or Postpolypectomy electrocoagulation syndrome.

FAQs

How do endoscopy and colonoscopy differ?

The difference between endoscopy and colonoscopy is that the former is a procedure that helps doctors take a look at your upper digestive tract. In contrast, colonoscopy is a type of endoscopy that specialises in the diagnosis and treatment of the lower digestive tract or organs, such as the colon and rectum.

Are endoscopy and colonoscopy performed the same way?

Both endoscopy and colonoscopy are minimally invasive medical procedures of the digestive tract. While they use similar examination techniques, they have distinct techniques and focus areas.

Do I need to prepare differently for an endoscopy and a colonoscopy?

Yes, the preparation methods for colonoscopy and endoscopy procedures are different. For an endoscopy, your doctor might recommend fasting 6 hours before the appointment. For a colonoscopy, the general recommendation is to consume only clear liquids for 24 hours for easy colon and rectum revaluation. It is always best to follow your doctor or medical practitioner's advice.

What are the risks associated with endoscopy and colonoscopy?

Both the procedures are minimally risky. Some of the risks commonly associated with endoscopy and colonoscopy are excessive internal bleeding, perforation of organs such as the colon or oesophagus and intense pain.

Are these procedures painful?

One of the most common benefits of colonoscopy and endoscopy is they are minimally invasive and generally not a painful procedure. However, they can cause discomfort, and the experiences can vary from person to person.