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Gastroscopy
- 2. What is a gastroscopy???????? A gastroscopy is a test where an operator - a doctor or nurse - looks into the upper part of your gut (the upper gastrointestinal tract). The upper gut consists of the gullet (oesophagus), the stomach and the first part of the gut (small intestine) known as the duodenum. The operator uses an endoscope to look inside your gut. Therefore, the test is sometimes called endoscopy.
- 3. An endoscope is a thin, flexible telescope. It is about as thick as a little finger. The endoscope is passed through the mouth, into the oesophagus and down towards the stomach and duodenum. The tip of the endoscope contains a light and a tiny video camera so the operator can see inside your gut. The endoscope also has a side channel down which various instruments can pass. These can be manipulated by the operator. For example, the operator may take a small sample (biopsy) from the inside lining of the stomach by using a thin 'grabbing' instrument which is passed down a side channel.
- 5. Who has a gastroscopy???? A gastroscopy may be advised if you have symptoms such as: Repeated (recurring) indigestion. Recurring heartburn. Pains in the upper tummy (abdomen). Repeatedly being sick (vomiting). Difficulty swallowing. Other symptoms thought to be coming from the upper gut.
- 6. The sort of conditions which can be confirmed (or ruled out) include: Inflammation of the gullet (oesophagus), called oesophagitis. The operator will see areas of redness on the lining of the oesophagus. Stomach and duodenal ulcers. An ulcer looks like a small, red crater on the inside lining of the stomach or on the first part of the gut (small intestine) known as the duodenum. Inflammation of the duodenum (duodenitis) and inflammation of the stomach (gastritis). Stomach and oesophageal cancer. Various other rare conditions.
- 7. How is a gastroscopy performed?????? After explaining the procedure, the endoscopist will spray the back of the throat with a local anaesthetic. This is similar to the anaesthetic used by dentists. It numbs the throat and may make it difficult to swallow.
- 8. When sedation is used, it is not a full anaesthetic and the patient will still be conscious and aware. A nurse will lie the patient on their left side and the endoscopist will then gently place the end of the instrument into the mouth and ask the patient to swallow it, which feels like swallowing a large piece of food. The endoscopist may need to put some air into the stomach to perform the examination effectively and this can cause discomfort or even a need to belch. This is perfectly normal. The endoscopist will closely examine the lining of the gullet, stomach and duodenum to identify the cause of the symptoms. It will take about 10 to 15 minutes.
- 9. What preparation do I need to do???? You should receive instructions from the hospital department before your test. The sort of instructions given commonly include: You should not eat for 4-6 hours before the test. The stomach needs to be empty. (Small sips of water may be allowed up to two hours before the test.) If you have a sedative you will need somebody to accompany you home. Advice about medication which may need to be stopped before the test.
- 10. Why is gastroscopy useful????? The doctor can study the mucous membrane of the stomach from the top to the bottom, and see irritation, wounds, or tumours. Gastroscopy is effective, and has now replaced the use of X-rays in many cases. It helps the doctor see any abnormalities in the gullet, the stomach and the duodenum. It is precise and safe. Through the gastroscope, the doctor can take samples or photographs of the mucous membrane. The most modern gastroscopes can also show the areas in the stomach on a TV screen, so that the mucous membrane can be studied thoroughly. This can be recorded on a videotape, and used for later comparison. Patients are often given a gastroscopic examination because of their indigestion symptoms, which can usually be treated with tablets.
- 11. Occasionally, the cause of indigestion is an ulcer and it is now known that many ulcers are due to bacterial infection in the stomach. A biopsy (a small piece of the lining of the stomach) may be removed during an endoscopy and examined under the microscope in the laboratory to pinpoint an infection or any other abnormality. A very small number of patients with indigestion will turn out to have cancer and, again, the diagnosis can be made accurately by biopsy. Further investigation can then be planned to ensure the most effective treatment. Can gastroscopy be used to examine other parts of the body? On the way down towards the stomach, gastroscopy can also be used to examine the mucous membrane of the gullet - there are several diseases with symptoms that are easily mistaken for diseases in the stomach. If this examination is performed independently it is called oesophagoscopy, after oesophagus, the medical name for the gullet.
- 12. How far can a gastroscope see? A gastroscope can only examine the lining of the oesophagus (gullet) stomach and duodenum. It will detect conditions in those organs that are causing symptoms but will not, for example, detect gallstones or pancreatic disease. Are there other uses for gastroscopy? An increasing use for gastroscopy is to obtain biopsies from the top of the small bowel, mainly to rule out a condition called coeliac disease. This is usually arranged at a hospital clinic but in some areas the test may be available to local doctors.
- 13. Why doesn't my doctor just send me for an X-ray? This is a good point. Barium meals were used for many years for the diagnosis of indigestion symptoms. However, the small disadvantages of gastroscopy - special units, day-case admission and the need for sedation - are far outweighed by the increased accuracy of diagnosis and the ability to take biopsies at gastroscopy. As a result relatively few barium meals are performed nowadays. Is gastroscopy safe? All procedures carry some risk but outpatient diagnostic gastroscopy is very safe. Minor complications are uncommon and major complications are very rare.
- 14. What can I expect after a gastroscopy? Most people are ready to go home after resting for half an hour or so. If you have had a sedative - you may take a bit longer to be ready to go home. The sedative will normally make you feel quite pleasant and relaxed. However, you should not drive, operate machinery or drink alcohol for 24 hours after having the sedative. You will need somebody to accompany you home and to stay with you for 24 hours until the effects have fully worn off. Most people are able to resume normal activities after 24 hours.
- 15. The operator writes a report and sends it to the doctor who requested the gastroscopy. The result from any sample (biopsy) may take a few days, which can delay the report being sent. The operator may also tell you what he/she saw before you leave. However, if you have had a sedative you may not remember afterwards what you were told. Therefore, you may wish to have a relative or close friend with you who may be able to remember what was said.
- 16. Is gastroscopy reliable????? Gastroscopy is a good test for seeing abnormalities in the upper gut. However, it is not foolproof. For example, gastroscopy may not detect a small number of cases of early ulcers or early cancer. Sometimes a repeat gastroscopy may be advised if symptoms persist or get worse, even if a previous gastroscopy was reported as normal.