Painless Gastroscopy

Gastroscopy 

Gastroscopy is performed in patients experiencing discomfort or pain in the upper abdomen, nausea, vomiting, heartburn, or difficulty swallowing. This method is highly reliable in detecting the causes of bleeding, inflammation, ulcers, or tumors of the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum.

How is gastroscopy performed? 

The procedure is performed using an instrument called a gastroscope. A gastroscope is a device with a flexible, thin extension that contains a small optical instrument, allowing visualization of internal organs on an external screen.

During the examination, the patient lies on their left side. The gastroscope is slowly and carefully inserted through the mouth, passing over the tongue into the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum. It is important to note that this follows the normal path of food, and the patient can breathe normally throughout the procedure, which rarely lasts longer than five minutes.

During endoscopy, a painless biopsy (a medical technique involving the collection of cells or tissue for examination) can be performed using a special instrument. The collected tissue is then analyzed separately.

Gastroscopy under anesthesia

Local anesthesia for gastroscopy is administered by spraying a local anesthetic into the throat. After a few minutes, the throat becomes numb, making the procedure easier to tolerate. In hypersensitive individuals, an allergic reaction to lidocaine may occur. If there is any history of allergic reactions, the patient must inform the doctor before the procedure. It is also important that the patient does not eat or drink for two hours after local anesthesia, as food and liquids may enter the airway.

To ensure a completely painless and comfortable experience, the procedure can also be performed under short intravenous anesthesia. During the procedure, the patient sleeps peacefully and feels no discomfort. A short recovery period follows, after which the patient can safely go home.