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310 Tasks for the Veterinary Assistant

Endoscopy

Oreta M. Samples, RVT, MPH, DHSc

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
• Identify parts of the endoscopic system
• Identify accessory equipment
• List the uses of an endoscope
• Describe the differences between a rigid, semi‐rigid, and flexible
endoscope
• Gather the needed auxiliary equipment for various endoscopic
procedures
• Create a bin filled with materials needed to clean an endoscope
• Correctly clean an endoscope
• Safely transport and store an endoscope
• Restrain and position a patient during the preparation phase of
endoscopy
• Effectively assist during the preparation and clean‐up phases of an
endoscopic procedure

Introduction to Endoscopy the suction and water valves, and are connected to the
umbilical cord, which attaches to the air pump, water
bottle for irrigation, and the light source. There may be
The endoscope is used for diagnostics, but it is also used an eyepiece through which the operator can look, or it
for surgery and uses highly specialized equipment. It is may be directly connected to a video screen where the
included with this chapter because it is used for diag- operator can view material directly at the end of the tip.
nosis by visualizing body structures and can be used for The tip narrows at the end of the insertion tube and
surgical procedures if issues are found. Because patient contains the light guide and image lens. The umbilical
preparation requires heavy sedation or anesthesia and cord attaches to the handpiece at one end and to various
patient monitoring, refer to those sections in Chapter 14. instruments at the distal end or tip. Most important, the
In instances where entrance to a body cavity is through light source is attached to the distal end of the umbilical
the skin and musculature, the patient requires a surgical cord. There are connectors for the air pump for insuffla-
prep (see Chapter 14). tion channel for inflating hollow organs with air or gas
An endoscope is an instrument that allows the veteri- to increase the visibility of their surface, a connector for
narian to have real‐time visualization within structures a suction channel to remove the irrigation fluid, a con-
and organs that would otherwise only be visualized indi- nector for the water bottle for irrigation of tissues, and a
rectly. As the name endoscope implies, the instrument pressure compensation valve. The last few inches of the
allows the user to see via the end of a complex bundle of insertion tube are known as the “bending section” as this
glass fibers that allows for the bending of light. These is the portion that is controlled by deflection knobs to
bundles are encased in an insertion tube of varying bend up and down as well as right and left with remark-
length and diameter based on the intended location of able accuracy. This allows the operator to get 360°views
the instrument’s use. The viewer can see through a lens within the structures.
to visualize what is at the other end of the insertion tube Endoscopic findings are documented through video
or on a video screen.
or still pictures (Figure 16.9). Minimally, this requires a
camera, light source, and printer. For more sophisti-
Parts of an Endoscope cated endoscopic set‐ups there is a camera control unit,
video recorder, monitor, and keyboard for adding text to
The handpiece is the large end with valves and knobs the pictures.
(Figure 16.8). The valves and knobs are manipulated by All of the equipment is best stored together on a
the operator to guide the deflection of the tip, control wheeled cart stored out of the way of usual hospital