What is a gastroscopy?
Gastroscopy is a procedure that allows your physician to see inside your esophagus, stomach, and small bowel for any abnormalities. A gastroscope is a long flexible tube with a light at the end that is connected to a video monitor. The tube will then be pass through your mouth (after you have been numbed) and your physician will look at the lining of your stomach and small bowel. Samples of tissue maybe taken and/or polyps may be removed.
What are the benefits?
The gastroscopy has several benefits including observing sampling the lining of the esophagus, stomach, and small bowel to look for:
■ inflammation
■ cancer
■ infections
■ ulcers
■ causes of anemia/bleeding
■ the causes of swallowing difficulty
■ and to check for celiac disease
Gastroscopy has the advantage over X-rays of generally being more accurate for detecting diseases, and also of allowing tissue samples or biopsies to be taken.
What are the risks?
Gastroscopy is generally a very safe procedure, however, there can be small risks.
■ There is a 1% chance of bleeding which usually stops on its own, and rarely leads to hospital admission.
■ There is a 1 in 1000 chance of perforation.
■ There is a 1 in 1000 chance of a complication called perforation (hole in bowel). This could require surgery to fix the perforation.
■ There is a 1 in 1000 chance of severe reaction to the sedation.
Preparation
You will be asked to not eat or drink anything after midnight the night before your appointment.
Tell your doctor before the procedure if you:
■ are sensitive (allergic) to any drug or substance.
■ are taking blood thinning tablets (such as Warfarin).
■ have heart valve disease.
■ have a pace maker.
On the day of the procedure:
■ Arrive 30 mins prior to your appointment time.
■ Bring your health card and one additional piece of photo identification with you.
■ Bring a list of all medications you are taking. This includes all over the counter and non-prescription medications.
■ You will need someone to drive you too and from the hospital. You are not to drive or operate heavy machinery for 24 hours after this procedure. You will be receiving medication that can leave drowsy affects on your body.
■ Do not wear any perfume or cologne.
■ Do not wear jewellery.
■ Wear comfortable clothing and shoes.
Cancellations
If you need to cancel your procedure appointment for any reason, our office requires a 72 hour notice.