ROLE OF THIN ENDOSCOPES IN ENDOSCOPIC SUBMUCOSAL DISSECTION

Abstract

Significant technological advances have resulted in the availability of fine endoscopes and their peripheral devices in recent years.

Conventionally, ultrathin transnasal endoscopes are used only for diagnostic purposes. However, this device may score over conventional endoscopes for therapeutic endoscopy in specific cases.

Following are the indications for the use of ultrathin transnasal endoscopes: 1) to avoid sedation, 2) patients in whom insertion of a usual (standard) therapeutic endoscope is impossible owing to stenosis and, 3) to approach a pharyngeal lesion.

In this article, we describe details of the endoscopic submucosal dissection procedure using a ultrathin transnasal endoscope, which is increasingly being accepted for its potential utility in therapeutic endoscopy.