Endoscopy (cont.)
Jay W. Marks, MD
Jay W. Marks, MD, is a board-certified internist and gastroenterologist. He graduated from Yale University School of Medicine and trained in internal medicine and gastroenterology at UCLA/Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR
Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.
In this Article
- What is upper endoscopy?
- How do I prepare for endoscopy?
- Why have you been scheduled for endoscopy?
- What can I expect during the endoscopy?
- What happens after the endoscopy?
- When do I get the results of the endoscopy?
- What are the risks of endoscopy?
- What if there are still remaining questions about endoscopy?
- Find a local Gastroenterologist in your town
What can I expect during endoscopy?
It is most likely that before the procedure the doctor will discuss with the patient why the procedure is being done, whether there are alternative procedures or tests, and what possible complications may result from the endoscopy. Practices vary amongst physicians but the patient may have the throat sprayed with a numbing solution and will probably be given a sedating and pain alleviating medication through the vein. While lying on your left side the flexible endoscope, the thickness of a small finger, is passed through the mouth into the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum. This procedure will NOT interfere with your breathing. Most patients experience only minimal discomfort during the test and many sleep throughout the entire procedure.
What happens after the endoscopy?
After the test the patient will be observed and monitored by a qualified individual in the endoscopy or a recovery area until a significant portion of the medication has worn off. Occasionally a patient is left with a mild sore throat, which promptly responds to saline gargles, or a feeling of distention from the insufflated air that was used during the procedure. Both problems are mild and transient. When fully recovered the patient will be instructed when to resume their usual diet (probably within a few hours) and the patient's driver will be allowed to take you home. (Because of the use of sedation, most facilities mandate that the patient be taken by a driver and not drive, handle machinery, or make important decisions for the remainder of the day.)
When do I get the results of the endoscopy?
Under most circumstances the examining physician will inform the patient of the test results or the probable findings prior to discharge from the recovery area. The results of biopsies or cytology usually take 72-96 hours and the doctor may only give the patient a presumptive diagnosis pending the definitive one, after the microscopic examination.
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