A gastroscopy, also known as an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy or UGI endoscopy, is a procedure that allows a doctor to examine the lining of the stomach using a flexible tube inserted through the mouth. Proper preparation is required, including fasting from midnight before the procedure. A gastroscopy can help diagnose conditions like inflammation, ulcers, or cancer by allowing the doctor to view the stomach directly and take biopsies. Complications are rare but can include bleeding, perforation of the stomach lining, or reactions to sedation. Alternative tests like a barium meal or CT scan provide external images but may not replace the need for a gastroscopy.

1. Delegated consent:
UGI endoscopy
Raimundas Lunevicius, MD, FRCS
Consultant Surgeon

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.