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Endoscopy allows a physician to see and inspect the actual interior of a patient’s gastrointestinal (GI) tract. This procedure is often used on patients who are bleeding in the GI tract, have abdominal pain or excessive diarrhea.
An endoscopist is a doctor who has specialised training in endoscopic procedures of the digestive tract, including upper gastrointestinal endoscopy (gastroscopy), flexible sigmoidoscopy, (colonoscopy), ERCP and endoscopic ultrasound (EUS).
There are numerous problems associated with the digestive tract that can be evaluated by an Endoscopist. Problems that would normally be evaluated by an endoscopist are:
During your procedure, you will lie on your left side with your knees slightly bent. Your doctor will give you medication through the intravenous (IV) line. You will be given oxygen through a nasal tube; a device will be placed on your finger to monitor your oxygen levels; and electrodes will be placed on your chest to monitor your heart. You will wear a plastic guard in your mouth to protect your teeth and the endoscope. A nurse will be at your side during the entire procedure-if you are experiencing greater than average discomfort, you can alert the nurse, and you will be given additional sedative or pain relief medication. When the procedure is finished, the scope is quickly removed.
After your endoscopy, you will remain in the recovery room for up to an hour to be monitored. When you are alert and awake, you can have a drink, and then get dressed to go home. You may find that the air put into your belly during the procedure leaves you with a bloated sensation. This should disappear quickly when you pass gas or burp.
A gastroenterologist is a medical specialist in the area of digestive disease. As well as providing endoscopy services, specialist gastroenterologists offer consultations in the following areas of digestive health:
Please bring the following items to your scheduled endoscopy appointment:
Endoscopic exams are performed using a long, thin, flexible tube inserted in a patient’s mouth and guided through the GI tract. A tiny camera on the end transmits an image of the inside of the intestinal tract to a large, TV monitor. In addition to serving as a diagnostic tool, endoscopy can also be used to control bleeding, relieve an obstruction and other therapies. A channel in the tube allows the physician to insert a small instrument to obtain small amounts of tissue samples, remove polyps and perform other procedures.
You should allow between 2-4 hours for your visit to the Endoscopy unit.
The appointment time is measured from the time you register at the Endoscopy reception to your departure from the unit. It includes pre procedure checks, the time you spend waiting for the examination, the time the actual examination takes, the time you need to recover from it and the time taken getting yourself ready to go home.
The actual time spent on an examination will vary between patients and examinations. In general, an examination of the stomach (gastroscopy) will take 5-15 minutes and one of the Colon (colonoscopy) 20-40 minutes.
The instructions sent to you with your appointment details will clearly explain what you will need to do to prepare for the endoscopy.
Your medical file is handled with the utmost respect for your privacy. Our staff are bound by strict confidentiality requirements as a condition of employment regarding your medical records. Ordinarily we will not release the contents of your medical file without your consent.
You are encouraged to have the rest of the day at home, resting and recovering. You should not drive or operate machinery, or make important decisions for 24 hours after the procedure if you have been given intravenous sedation and/or pain relief.
You can reach out to our team at Centre for Endoscopy & Advanced Minimally Invasive Surgery, MGM Hospital on 0240-6601199, 6601100
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