Upper Gastrointestinal System Endoscopy

What is upper gastrointestinal system (GIS) endoscopy?

By performing upper gastrointestinal system endoscopy, your physician can evaluate upper part of your gastrointestinal system (esophagus, stomach, duodenum). This procedure is performed by your physician using a device in the form of a flexible and thin tube with a light and camera on the tip, also called the endoscope. The images obtained with the camera on the tip of the endoscope are magnified and transferred to a larger screen as a video. In spite of being commonly defined as gastroscopy, physicians and healthcare professional call this procedure upper gastrointestinal system endoscopy or esophagogastroduodenoscopy.

Why is upper GIS endoscopy performed?

Thanks to upper gastrointestinal system endoscopy, the physicians can evaluate persistent upper abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting or dysphagia (swallowing difficulty). It is the best method to evaluate the hemorrhages originating from upper gastrointestinal system. The endoscopy is more definitive for diagnosis of inflammation within esophagus, stomach or duodenum, ulcer and tumors (gastric cancer and other tumors) compared to other radiogram-based tests.

Upper GIS endoscopy is also preferred to collect small tissue fragments (biopsy). By means of pathological analysis performed on the biopsy sample, it is possible to make a differentiation between benign and malignant tissues. Note that biopsy may be requested for a lot of reasons, even though your physician does not think you have a malignant disease! For instance, Helicobacter pylori, a bacteria causing ulcer in stomach, can be diagnosed with taking biopsy samples. Moreover, upper GIS endoscopy is also performed to treat pathologies of upper gastrointestinal system. In some cases, treatments that cause rarely or mildly discomfort are possible with the devices sent through the endoscope. For example, the treatments such as dilatation of a narrowed area, removing of polyps (mostly benign enlarged mucosa) or stop the bleeding can be performed thanks to the endoscopy.

How should I prepare for the procedure?

The stomach should completely be empty before the endoscopy for the best conditions. Therefore, patients are not supposed to eat or drink anything, including water,  at least 6 hours before the procedure. Your physician will tell specify how long you should fast. Inform your physician clearly about the medications you regularly take as dose adjustment may be needed before or during the procedure. If you are allergic to a medication or have a chronic disease related to heart or any other organ, you have to let your physician know prior to the procedure. If you are recommended to take antibiotics for dental treatment, again inform your physician before the endoscopy, because antibiotic prophylaxis may be needed.

What should I expect from upper GIS endoscopy?

Initially, a local anesthetic medication is sprayed on your throat or a sedative medication is intravenously administered. A mouthpiece is placed in your mouth in order to prevent from harming your teeth and damaging the device. After you are given a left sideway position, the physician insert the endoscope into your mouth and advance it through the esophagus, stomach and duodenum, which will not affect your respiration. The endoscope does not impact your breathing. Most of the patients define this procedure as mildly discomforting process and some of them fall asleep during the procedure.

What comes next after the upper GIS endoscopy?

You will be monitored until effects of the sedation go down. After the procedure, you may experience sore throat and mild distention due to air inflated in your stomach during the endoscopy. Unless your physician recommends anything,  you can consume solid foods 30 to 45 minutes after the procedure. Results mostly come out on the same day and you will be informed by your physician; however, it may take a few days to get the results of additional tests and biopsy analysis. If a sedative medication is administered during the procedure, you will be prohibited to drive, even if you feel good. Since sedatives can affect your decision-making abilities and reflexes all day after the endoscopy, it is preferable to have someone accompany you during the procedure.

What are possible complications of upper GIS endoscopy?

When performed by a well-trained and experienced physician, it is very rare for patients to have complications after the endoscopy. Although there is a possibility of bleeding in the area where a biopsy sample or polyp is taken, it is usually minimal and does not require a follow-up process. Following removal of large polyps or bleeding treatment, bleeding may persist from time to time. Other likely risks include reaction to sedatives, cardiac and pulmonary distress and gastric perforation. It is important to detect early signs of potential complications. If you experience fever, dysphagia or gradually worsening sore throat, chest or abdominal pain, defecating black and malodorous stool, low blood pressure and palpitation, you should immediately call your physician. For a healthy life, it will be the safest way for you to have the examinations requested by your physicians carried out on time at centers under appropriate conditions by well-trained physicians.

 

Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery (upper digestive system surgery) (esophagus, gastric opening, stomach, small intestines)

Upper gastrointestinal surgery (upper digestive system surgery) (esophagus, gastric inlet, stomach, small intestine)