Upper GI Endoscopy
Acidity, indigestion and difficulty swallowing are so common that the serious causes hide among them. An endoscopy answers the question directly rather than treating symptoms for months. It takes about ten minutes, you go home the same day, and you are told what was found before you leave.
- About ten minutes
- Home the same day
- Findings explained before you leave
- Biopsy taken in the same sitting if needed
Stay
Day care
Duration
About 10 to 15 minutes
Anaesthesia
Throat spray, or light sedation
About Upper GI Endoscopy
A flexible tube with a camera at the tip is passed through the mouth to examine the oesophagus, stomach and duodenum. It shows ulcers, inflammation, narrowing and growths that no scan or blood test will reliably find. Small tissue samples can be taken painlessly at the same time, and bleeding can often be treated during the same procedure.
- Looks directly at the lining rather than inferring from symptoms
- Biopsies are painless and taken during the same procedure
- Bleeding can often be treated at the same time
- Most people find it easier than they expected
Before you read on
Everything here is general information about upper gi endoscopy. Whether it suits you, and how it would be done in your case, is a decision for your doctor after examining you.
Your consultant's instructions always take precedence over anything written on this page.
When is it recommended?
Situations in which a doctor may suggest upper gi endoscopy.
- Long-standing acidity or heartburn not settling on medication
- Difficulty or pain on swallowing
- Persistent upper abdominal pain
- Vomiting blood or passing black stools
- Unexplained weight loss or anaemia
- Suspected ulcer or Helicobacter pylori infection
Procedure details
The usual sequence, from first consultation through to follow-up.
Preparation
You arrive fasting. The throat is numbed with a spray, and light sedation is offered if you would prefer it.
The examination
A thin flexible scope is passed through the mouth. You can breathe normally throughout. It takes about ten minutes.
Biopsy if needed
Small tissue samples are taken through the scope if anything needs testing. This is painless and adds a minute or two.
Recovery and results
You rest until the sedation wears off. The findings are explained the same day, with biopsy results following in a few days.
How to prepare
What to sort out before you come in.
- Nothing to eat for six hours and nothing to drink for two hours beforehand
- Tell the team about blood thinners, diabetes medication and any allergy
- Bring somebody with you if you are having sedation, as you cannot drive afterwards
- Remove dentures before the procedure
- Bring previous endoscopy or scan reports if you have them
Recovery
What to expect afterwards, and roughly when.
- A sore throat for a day is normal and settles on its own
- Do not eat or drink until the throat numbness has worn off, usually about an hour
- If you had sedation, do not drive, sign documents or drink alcohol that day
- Bloating from the air used during the test settles within a few hours
- Biopsy results are usually available within a week
Why choose Humayun for endoscopy
The value of an endoscopy is in getting the answer quickly and having it explained by the person who saw it.
- Day-care lists, so a diagnosis takes days rather than months
- Findings discussed the same day with the images, not posted as a report
- Bleeding treated during the same procedure where it is found
- Surgical gastroenterology in the same hospital when an operation turns out to be needed
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More in Gastroenterology
Colonoscopy
A camera examination of the large bowel, used to investigate bleeding and changed bowel habit and to remove polyps.
Endoscopic Biopsy
Small tissue samples taken during an endoscopy so the diagnosis can be confirmed under a microscope.
Polypectomy
Removal of a polyp during colonoscopy, which prevents most bowel cancers rather than treating them.
Endoscopic Management of GI Disorders
Treatment delivered through the endoscope itself, including stopping bleeding, widening narrowings and removing foreign bodies.