Upcoming Need: Scoping out Surgical Scopes

Many pieces of hospital equipment use the word “scope” in their name. Whether they’re an “endoscope” or a “microscope”, these tools help our care teams get a closer look.

Each tool comes in a different size and shape for a specific purpose, and this year our surgical department needs to replace a few of them.

Endoscopes – like the duodenal scope and gastroscope – are long, thin tubes with a light and a camera attached to their tip. These scopes are used to see inside of the body, and are often used in combination with other tools to perform minimally invasive surgeries.

Duodenal Scope

The duodenal scope helps doctors view and access the top of the small intestine (duodenum). SAH has 4 of them, and they are used multiple times a day, every day. This scope helps diagnose and treat issues in the pancreas and bile ducts (in the liver) such as cancer or gall stones.

Pediatric Gastroscope

Designed for smaller patients, the pediatric gastroscope helps doctors see the throat, stomach, and small intestine. It can be used to look for the cause of heartburn, vomiting, difficulty swallowing and bleeding. It can also check for ulcers and cancer. Although it was made to be used on children, its thin structure can come in handy for some adult patients too! SAH only has one pediatric gastroscope – without it, patients might have to go elsewhere for care.

Colposcope

A colposcope is a special type of microscope used for women’s health – it’s a key part of a Gynecologist’s tool set. It is one of the main tools used when testing for cervical cancer, helping the gynecologist see and biopsy the cervix. With new Gynecologists in our community, the colposcope at SAH is getting a necessary upgrade this year to ensure our care teams have the tools they need to provide the best possible care.

Each scope can cost $30,000 to $50,000, but all are critical to care.

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