Gastroscopy

A lot of people who have not had to have a gastroscopy don't know what it means and don't even think about having it done prophylactically. And after a certain age - over 45 - it is a must to avoid the onset of serious problems.

Gastroscopy

Gastroscopy is a procedure in which a thin, flexible tube called an endoscope is used to view the esophagus, stomach, and first part of the small intestine (duodenum).
Sometimes also called endoscopy of the upper gastrointestinal tract.
The endoscope has a light and a camera at one end. The camera sends images of the inside of the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum to a monitor.

Why is gastroscopy used?

Gastroscopy can be used for:

• To monitor the condition in already diagnosed disease.
• Examination for conditions such as nausea, vomiting, difficulty swallowing (dysphagia) or persistent abdominal pain.
• Diagnosing conditions such as gastric ulcers, gastro-oesophageal reflux disease-GERD, bleeding,inflammation, diarrhea or cancer of the digestive system.Endoscopy can be used to collect tissue samples-biopsies.
• Treatment of conditions such as bleeding ulcers, esophageal obstruction, non-cancerous growths (polyps) and small tumors.
• Gastroscopy used to check symptoms or confirm a diagnosis is known as diagnostic gastroscopy. Gastroscopy used to treat a condition is known as therapeutic gastroscopy.

What is the procedure?

Gastroscopy often takes less than 15 minutes, although it may take longer if used to treat a condition.
It is usually performed as an outpatient procedure, which means that hospitalization is not required.
Before the procedure, the throat is anesthetized with a local anesthetic spray. The patient can also receive a sedative if desired. This means that during the procedure the patient is still awake but with a reduced awareness of what is happening. It can also be done under full anaesthetic at the discretion of the doctor and depending on the condition of the individual patient.
The doctor performing the procedure places the endoscope in the back of the mouth and asks the patient to swallow the first part of the tube. It is then guided down the esophagus and into the stomach.
The procedure does not have to be painful, but can sometimes be unpleasant or uncomfortable.

What are the risks of gastroscopy?

Gastroscopy is a very safe procedure, but like all medical procedures, it carries a risk of complications.
Possible complications that may arise include:

• reaction to the sedative, which can cause breathing, heart rate and blood pressure problems
• internal bleeding
• rupture (perforation) of the lining of the oesophagus, stomach or duodenum

Consultation with a gastroenterologist

Our special package includes a consultation with a gastroenterologist. During your meeting with the specialist, you should describe your problem in depth and answer all his questions. Traditionally, a physical examination is performed and after the doctor's evaluation, recommendations for diagnosis and treatment are given.