A Comprehensive Guide To Gastroscopy!

Are you looking to book an appointment in a technologically advanced gastroscopie privé center in Laval to get your digestive tract examined? If yes, you must be already aware of what gastroscopy is and why is it done. But, in any case, if you have heard the term for the first time or aren’t much sure about what the process exactly is, we are here to help! Here in this blog, we will cover what gastroscopy is, why is it done, how to prepare for it, what happens during the procedure, and finally how safe the procedure is. Now, without any delay, let’s start with what gastroscopy is.

What is Gastroscopy?

Before undertaking gastroscopie Laval, it’s important to learn what the procedure exactly is. So, gastroscopy or upper endoscopy is a diagnostic procedure that examines the inner chambers of the top segment of the gastrointestinal tract, known as the oesophagus, stomach, and duodenum using an instrument called a gastroscope or an endoscope. A gastroscope or an endoscope is a long, thin, flexible tube containing a camera and a light. One section of an endoscope holds a light and video camera to view the lining of the upper digestive tract and the other end is connected to a monitor to display detailed images of the gastric tract. Generally, a doctor or specialist nurse (known as an endoscopist) does the test.

Why is Gastroscopy Done?

Gastroscopy is usually done to investigate the cause of digestive symptoms, treat some conditions, and diagnose cancer.

Symptoms

A gastroscopie privé can be done to diagnose the cause of symptoms like indigestion, heartburn, stomach pain, abdominal pain, difficulty swallowing (dysphagia), nausea, vomiting, or bleeding from the digestive tract.

Conditions

A gastroscopy can help treat problems with the digestive system such as widening the food pipe (oesophagus) if it’s too narrow and causing pain or difficulties in swallowing, stopping bleeding inside the stomach or oesophagus, removing growths, and feeding food with the help of a feeding tube into your stomach if a patient is unable to eat normally.

Diagnosing Cancer

Gastroscopy can be used to diagnose cancer occurring in the stomach and oesophagus (the food pipe that connects the mouth to the stomach). During the procedure, a small sample of tissue is removed from the stomach or oesophagus for testing. This is called a biopsy – a test to investigate if there are any cancer cells in the above-mentioned organs.

How to Prepare for a Gastroscopy Test?

A gastroscopy is done only on an empty stomach so that the patient does not vomit and the doctor gets to see the inner lining of the upper digestive tract clearly. So, if you are referred for a gastroscopie privé, you’ll need to stop eating and drinking at least 6 hours before the test. The doctor may offer you medicine for sedation before the procedure begins. If you choose to have the medicine, make sure to have someone take you home after the test. That’s mainly because the medicine usually stays in the body for around 24 hours, making activities like driving unsafe.

What Happens During a Gastroscopy?

If you undertake private gastroscopie Laval, you can expect it to be performed on an outpatient basis. That means you can go home the same day and would not require a hospital stay. Now, although the entire procedure hardly takes up to about 15 minutes, be prepared to be in the hospital for several hours. First, you need to meet a specialized nurse and explain your medical history as well as the allergies you might have. Then you need to wait for the measurements of your blood pressure and heart rate to be taken. Once that’s done, your nurse or endoscopist will explain the procedure to you and ask you to sign a consent form. Once you sign the consent form, your nurse will put a plastic guard in your mouth to protect your teeth from the gastroscope, spray a local anesthetic to numb the back of your throat and make you lie on your left side. Your endoscopist will then pass the gastroscope into your mouth and down your throat to the oesophagus and ask you to swallow as the tube goes down. Your endoscopist will take samples of abnormal areas and gently remove the gastroscope once the test is done.

How Safe is Gastroscopy?

Gastroscopie privé is a safe procedure, causing rare serious complications in the patient. The only complication possible to occur is a puncture of the stomach or bowel. However, even that is common when gastroscopy involves a surgical procedure such as the removal of polyps or a biopsy. Another possible complication might be the occurrence of bleeding due to accidental damage in the blood vessel or the lining of the digestive tract. Such damage needs immediate attention and surgery to repair. Complications from infection or sedation might occur only in rare cases. Hopefully, this blog helped you learn a lot about gastroscopie privé. Just ensure to consult a reputed and experienced doctor to undertake a gastroscopy test!