Diagnostic Gastroscopy
What does gastroscopy diagnose?
Gastroscopy detects disorders of the esophagus, stomach and the duodenum by examination of the upper digestive tract with a flexible instrument that has a minute camera at one end. This procedure aids in direct view and sampling of the stomach lining.
Gastroscopy is performed for the following conditions:
- Infection of the stomach
- Chest pain not related to heart disease
- Weight loss because of certain causes
- Anemia or unexplained blood loss
- Motion that have black bowel
- Indigestion or persistence heartburn
- Difficulty in swallowing
- Pain in abdomen due to an ulcer
- Persistence vomiting and traces of blood seen in the vomit
Rare complications because of gastroscopy
- Chest infection or pneumonia following gastroscopy
- Bleeding, infection, and rarely, perforation caused because of damage to the gut caused when an endoscope is inserted.
- Sedative might cause allergic reaction
- Vomiting blood
- Fever
- Abdominal pain
- Difficulty breathing
- A heart attack or stroke during, or soon after, a gastroscopy
Diagnostic tests performed before gastroscopy is finalized?
The doctor performs the following diagnostic tests to determine if colonoscopy is required:
Barium enema - The radiologist puts barium, thick liquid into the colon, the lining of the colon and rectum are coated, differentiating the size and shape of all the organs inside stomach allowing the signs of disease to show up more clearly on the X-rays taken afterwards.
Preoperative procedures for diagnostic gastroscopy?
Doctor must be informed of any medical conditions or medications the patient is taking before the colonoscopy.
The patient should avoid dehydration by drinking plenty of water.
Liquid diet for 1-3 days before the procedure is mandatory for the patient
The patient must not to eat or drink anything morning before the procedure
To ensure that the rectum and colon is completely clean, the doctor prescribes a special cleaning solution or uses laxatives and enemas 24-48 hours prior to the procedure.
The transport to and from the hospital for the patient must be aided by a family member or colleague
Procedure for gastroscopy?
- The patient is given medication to numb the back of his throat and he is also given a sedative for relaxation. Then he is made to lie on his left side.
- The physician guides the patients to swallow the gastroscope through the esophagus down into the stomach.
- Then air passed through the scope to facilitate better visibility of the stomach and esophageal lining.
- For diagnosis, special instruments are inserted through the scope for taking tissues for conducting biopsy if abnormalities are seen.
- The scope is then removed. The procedure takes 15 minutes.
Post operative symptoms and procedures?
This mostly an outpatient procedure but in some cases the patient may be discharged on the next day.
Until the effects of the medications wear off, the patient is kept under observation.
Symptoms of bloated stomach because of the air put in the stomach during examination will subside gradually.
The patient is advised to rest for several hours and take light meals and considerable amount of gas may be passed.
- Patient might experience mild sore throats for one or two days
- The patient can then start backs the usual activities and normal diet unless otherwise instructed.
- The patient has to drink lots of fluids to replace those lost laxatives while fasting.
- The patient must inform the doctor immediately if he experiences any of the following
breathing difficulty
- Fever within 48 hours after the gastroscopy.
- Severe abdominal pain
- Persistent and heavy bleeding
- Traces of blood in vomit
What do the results from diagnostic gastroscopy reveal?
If no abnormal conditions such as a polyp or ulcer are revealed then the results are normal.
If polyps or other suspicious-looking masses were detected then the results are abnormal. Biopsy of the polyps is taken and if cancerous cells are detected then cancer is diagnosed. The pathology of the disease is analyzed after which the options of treatment are discussed with the patient.
Diagnostic Colonoscopy
The inside of the entire large intestine from the lowest part, the rectum, all the way up through the colon to the lower end of the intestine is examined by diagnostic colonoscopy. It detects and diagnoses inflamed tissue, abnormal growths, ulcers and bleeding.
Procedure for diagnostic colonoscopy?
- The patient is given a sedative for relaxation. Then he is made to lie on his left side.
- A flexible, light and longs tube attached to a minute camera at its end called a colonoscopy is inserted into the rectum and is following inside into the colon.
- With the scope air is introduced to inflate the colon and allow better view.
- Tiny forceps are used to remove partial or complete abnormalities such a polyp or inflamed tissue. The forceps are passed through the channel in the scope and sent for biopsy.
Theurapeutic ERCP
Endoscope Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography or ERCP therapeutic is a procedure done for diagnosing and treating conditions in the liver, gallbladder, bile ducts, and pancreas. X- Rays and a long flexible lighted tube called endoscope are used for diagnosis.
Procedure for ECRP therapeutic:
- The patient is given medication to numb the back of his throat and he is also given a sedative for relaxation. Then he is made to lie on his left side.
- The physician guides the patients to swallow the endoscope through the esophagus down into the stomach, duodenum to the area where the ducts of the biliary tree and pancreas open in the duodenum.
- The patient then has to lie flat on his stomach, the physician then injects dye into the ducts through a small plastic tube that passes from the scope.
- The dye helps in revealing gall stones or any other obstruction which narrows the ducts, an X ray is taken with special instruments that are inserted through a scope.
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