2. Definition
A gastroscopy is a procedure that enables the
doctor to see the lining of the stomach for
abnormalities.
This is done by passing a flexible tube via the
mouth, through which a bright light is passed via
fibre optics.
The stomach must be completely clean and empty
for the procedure to be successful.
3. Preparation
1. Gastroscopy is routinely done as an out-patient or day
case.
2. No food or drink to be taken from 12.00 midnight prior to
your admission
3. Diabetics should only take half of their morning Insulin or
tablets with just a sip of fluid
4. Check with your doctor if you are taking Warfarin, Aspirin
5. A sedative may be given to help ensure that you are
relaxed
6. Please keep taking your usual medications
7. Please bring all medications you are taking with you
8. You will need to arrange for someone to take you home
4. Benefits
• OGD can help find out what is causing symptoms
– such as indigestion, upper abdominal pain, vomiting or bleeding
• It is also used to check for certain GI conditions
– such as inflammation, ulcers, cancer.
• It is used to confirm the results of other tests
– for example, a barium meal.
• During the OGD a doctor may take one or more
biopsies (small samples of tissue) for examination
5. Complications:
Cardiopulmonary and sedation-related complications
Complications specific to UGI endoscopy
Of diagnostic UGI endo:
1. Common minor com:
side-effects (a numb mouth and
tongue, a sore throat, a chipped
tooth, damaged crown, cut lip)
2. Cardiorespiratory
3. Infection
4. Bleeding
5. Perforation
6. Rare complications
Anaphylactic reaction
Dental trauma
Temporo-mandibular joint dislocation
Impaction of endoscope (distal oesoph, HH)
therapeutic UGI endo:
• Related to specific
therapeutic technique
– Dilatation
– Stent insertion
– Heamostasis
– Polypectomy
– EMR
– Ablative technique
– Removal of foreigh bodies
6. Risk of complications of
diagnostic UGI with / without biopsy
Complication Risk
Bleeding very rare in the absence of coagulopathy,
thrombocytopenia (<20,000), portal hypertension
Perforation 0.03% (1:3,333)
Mortality 0.001% (1:100,000)
7. Alternatives
• Barium meal
– involves drinking a fluid containing barium (a
substance which shows up on X-rays)
– X-ray pictures of your upper body can then show
the inside of your oesophagus, stomach and
duodenum
– A gastroscopy may still be needed.
• CT scan
– X-ray images are used to produce two and three-
dimensional images of the inside of your body.
Editor's Notes
A gastroscopy is a test that allows your doctor to look inside your food-pipe (oesophagus), stomach and the first part of the small intestine (duodenum). The test is done using a narrow, flexible, tube-like telescope called an endoscope. The endoscope is passed through the mouth and into the oesophagus and down towards the stomach. The test may also be simply referred to as an endoscopy, or OGD (oesophago-gastro-duodenoscopy).
The stomach must be completely clean and empty for the procedure to be successful. Inadequate preparation may result in having to repeat the test on another day. To achieve complete emptying, it is most important that you follow these instructions.
Side-effects are the unwanted but mostly temporary effects of a successful procedure. After having a gastroscopy you may:
• have a numb mouth and tongue for a few hours as a result of the local anaesthetic spray or lozenge - please take care with hot food and drink.
• feel bloated, but this usually clears up quite quickly
• feeling sleepy as a result of the sedative
• have a sore throat for a few hours - sucking on throat lozenges or gargling with salt water can help to ease any discomfort
A more common complication of gastroscopy is a chipped tooth or damaged crown which can occur when biting down on the mouthguard that will be placed in your mouth to stop you chewing on the gastroscope. This may require dental repair to correct. Please inform the gastroenterologist of any plates, caps, crowns or dentures prior to gastroscopy.
A cut lip can also occur as a result of the mouthguard trapping part of the lip between it and your teeth. This may require ice and or stitches.