Preparing for Upper Endoscopy

 

Upper endoscopy is most commonly performed in order to evaluate the possible causes and problems that lie within the body organs including duodenum, stomach and esophagus. It evaluates symptoms like vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain in the upper region of the abdominal cavity, anemia and intestinal bleeding and difficulty swallowing. This method is more accurate and effective than the X-ray method in detecting abnormalities like tumors and ulcers that lie within the reach of the instrument. Endoscopy can also perform biopsy and cytology for the minute microscopic examination of tissues and deduce whether a tumor is malignant (cancerous) or benign.

Preparing for the Endoscopy

For a complete and safe examination, endoscopic equipment is used for performing a biopsy on an empty stomach. Doctors advise patients to refrain from drinking and eating for 6 hours before they have been scheduled for the procedure.

The patient must inform the doctor all kinds of health issues, problems, and allergies he/she is affected by and the kind of medications he/she is taking. The doctor reviews the information to decide which antibiotics can be given prior to the treatment and which medications needed to be avoided so that the patient is not affected by allergy during the course of the examination. Doctors can also hold on some medications or may adjust some so that they do not interfere with the procedure.

By reviewing the health information, the doctor can know which areas need special attention during the procedure. Some patients may suffer from lung and heart diseases, and the doctors can prevent any mishaps by being attentive beforehand. Before the patient receives the diagnostic treatment, he/she is sedated so that there is no painful feeling for him to fear.

A biopsy done by endoscopy does not necessarily mean that the patient is suffering from cancer. The channel created by endoscopy helps the doctor to pass other kinds of instruments which can treat strictures, remove polyps and other benign growths (not cancerous), retrieve objects that have been swallowed accidentally and treat bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract. The massive capabilities of endoscopy equipment have reduced the need for surgery and transfusion to a great extent and have also made treatments cheaper and less time consuming.