Examination
-Gastroscopy-

What can be detected by gastroscopy?

Gastroscopy is carried out with a scope about the diameter of an adult little finger. The scope is inserted from the mouth into the body to allow the doctor to examine the lining of esophagus, stomach and duodenum. During the test, the doctor can view related imagines on monitor or take pictures at the same time with a built-in miniaturized color TV camera at the top end of the device. Gastroscopy is very popular, so please feel at ease, but in the process of the test (about 5 minutes), you may feel like something is always stuck in your throat.
Also, we will spray some safe pigment for a detailed check. Sometimes, if necessary, gastric mucosa biopsy will be conducted for tissue examination as well.
The doctor will diagnose based on all the various factors together. Basically, you will know your diagnosis right after the test, but if biopsy is performed, diagnosis will take approximately 2 weeks.

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Please listen carefully to the doctor's specific instructions and please feel free to ask questions without any hesitation.

Precautions to be taken before gastroscopy test

The day before the test

  1. 1. The food left in the stomach will adhere to gastric mucosa which will obstruct an accurate diagnosis to be made, so please do not eat food or drink water after 21:00.
  2. 2. If you feel thirsty, you may gargle to make yourself feel better.
  3. 3. Please do not smoke.

The day of the test

  1. 1. Please remove your false teeth, belly-warmer tie and girdle. Ladies should rub lip rouge off.
  2. 2. If you get so nervous and feel so uneasy, the examination can not be done smoothly. Please accept the test with a relaxed mood.
  3. 3. Please lie in the bed for a good rest until it is your turn for the test.

The day after the test

  1. 1. The effects of anesthetic will take 1.5 hours to wear off, so please do not eat food or dink water within that time although the examination has been finished.
  2. 2. If it is your first-time meal after the examination, please have a sip of water to confirm whether you chock or not before having it.
  3. 3. A little gastric mucosa will probably be collected as necessary. Please do not worry in cased of saliva mixed with blood or a sore throat after the test.

The process of gastroscopy test

Step 1 Preparation prior to the test

  1. 1. You will take a medicine to clean out the stomach.
  2. 2. You will be given an injection to suppress the function of the stomach.
  3. 3. Also, if you hope, a medicine making you comfortable for the test will be injected together.
  4. 4. We will spray the anesthetic drug in your throat and then you should follow the instructions to swallow it. Please try your best to cooperate although it is little bit bitter.

Step 2 The test starts

  1. 1. Please lie on your left side on the photography platform.
  2. 2. A mouthpiece will be placed between your teeth.
  3. 3. A long and thin tube of 8-11mm in diameter, roughly the size of your little finger will be inserted into the body through your mouth while the doctor giving you some instructions. The tube will go naturally and freely even if you do not try to force yourself to swallow it. The test is painless, but it may make you feel nauseated and discomforted in some degree.
  4. 4. Please relax your body breathing in from your nose and breathing out through your mouth restfully.
  5. 5. Please do not swallow saliva even it salivates.
    The test will be over in about 5 minutes, but it may take more to some extent in the case of gastric mucosa biopsy being conducted for tissue examination.

Step 3 The test ends

  1. 1. The effects of anesthetic will take 1.5 hours to wear off, so please do not eat food or dink water within that time although the examination has been finished.
  2. 2. If it is your first-time meal after the examination, please have a sip of water to confirm whether you chock or not before having it.
  3. 3. A little gastric mucosa will probably be collected as necessary. Please do not worry in case of saliva mixed with blood or a sore throat after the test.

How to swallow the scope

The test is painless, but it may make you feel nauseated and discomforted in some degree. The test is so general that even a small child can bear it.

1.Posture

Please ease the tension in your shoulders and neck with a relaxed posture.

2.Emetic Response

Getting the scope through your throat may result in a higher rate of emetic response. This is the hardest movement to bear, but after that, you will not feel painful like that.

3.Getting the scope through

If you lay stress in your throat and force yourself to swallow the scope, it will be more difficult to get the scope through because your throat gets clogged.

4.Breath

When the scope is in, you can breathe as usual. You should do abdominal breathing slowly, breathing in from your nose and breathing out through your mouth.

5.Saliva

You will cough if you swallow saliva accumulated. Saliva in your mouth will be automatically sucked out from the top end of the mouthpiece.

6.Medications

In order to reduce the pain caused by the test, you will be given an intravenous injection of a painkiller making you drowsy and relaxed.
The doctor will determine whether the painkiller should be given or not complying with the wish of you.