Gastroscopy - gastroscopy
A flexible endoscope, a small probe with a camera at the tip, is used for gastroscopy. It is 1.20 meters long and about one centimeter thick. During the examination, the physician pushes the endoscope through the patient's mouth and throat into the oesophagus, further through the stomach and into the duodenum. The duodenum is the deepest point that can be viewed during a regular gastroscopy.
By blowing CO2 through a channel in the endoscope, the hollow organs of the upper digestive tract expand, allowing the physician to take a close look at the mucous membranes. If necessary, tissue samples can be taken immediately using small forceps inserted through another channel in the endoscope. As the mucous membranes are not sensitive to pain, you will not feel anything. In selected cases, it may be necessary to spray on dyes to better detect pathological processes (chromoendoscopy). If this procedure is to be used on you, we will of course inform you in advance.
Gastroscopy with tissue sampling is painless, but can be uncomfortable due to the injection of CO2. Passing the endoscope through the throat can sometimes lead to a gag reflex. On request, we can give you a mild short-term anesthetic for the duration of the examination so that you "sleep through" the entire procedure.
If it turns out that you require treatment during the gastroscopy (e.g. removal of a polyp), we will inform you about this separately. Various treatments can be carried out during the examination: Hemostasis of bleeding stomach and duodenal ulcers and varicose veins (varices) of the oesophagus using various techniques (e.g. sclerotherapy, ligation, fibrin glueing, clipping, argon plasma coagulation); removal of polyps; insertion of plastic or metal endoprostheses to bridge non-benign constrictions of the oesophagus and stomach; stretching of benign constrictions in the upper gastrointestinal tract using balloon catheters or stretching rods (bougies).
Before the gastroscopy
For a good assessment of the upper digestive tract, it must be free of food residues. It is therefore important not to eat or drink anything for six hours before the examination and to stop smoking.
Physicians should only take medication after consulting their physician. If you are taking anticoagulant medication, you must consult your physician before continuing to take it.
After the gastroscopy
Sensations of discomfort in the throat, flatulence or nausea after a gastroscopy are generally harmless and disappear spontaneously.
After a sedative injection or short anesthetic has been administered, you will be monitored by our specialist staff in a specially equipped recovery room until you are fully awake and oriented again. Depending on the dose of medication required, this usually takes between 30 minutes and two hours. You will then have the opportunity to talk to the physicians about the results of the examination.
In the case of a sedative injection or short anesthesia, you must not actively participate in road traffic, make important decisions or carry out dangerous activities for 24 hours afterwards. It is advisable to bring someone with you who can accompany you home.
If a pharyngeal anaesthetic was administered or a sedative injection or short anaesthetic was administered, you must not eat for at least one hour after the anaesthetic. In the case of a gastroscopy without medication, you can eat again immediately unless otherwise prescribed by the examining physician. If you are taking medication, especially anticoagulants, after the examination, you must consult your physician.
If you experience symptoms such as pain, fever, sweating, vomiting, vomiting blood or blood in the stool after the examination, please go to the emergency room of the hospital or your physician immediately.
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