Upper GI endoscopy is an important diagnostic and therapeutic tool for many upper gastrointestinal disorders. Diagnostic endoscopy is an outpatient procedure which is usually performed under local anaesthesia.
Preparation for endoscopy- Patient is usually called for endoscopy early in the morning after an overnight fast. They should not even take water in morning before the test.
Procedure- The procedure is performed under local anaesthesia by giving a numbing spray in the oral cavity. Sometimes, anxious patients and children may require some sedation during the procedure. The procedure is performed by insertion of a narrow flexible tube with a high definition camera at the tip through the patient’s mouth into the food pipe. The endoscope can be advanced till the second part of the duodenum (small intestine) and can check for any disease in oral cavity, food pipe, stomach and small intestine. The procedure generally takes only 2-3 minutes and patient is allowed to take food soon afterwards.
Indications for diagnostic endoscopy :-
Diagnostic endoscopy is most often performed for patients with acid reflux and upper abdominal pain. These are the few indications to perform endoscopy :-