It may be appropriate to allow such observers into the endoscopy room. If an observer is to be present, it is proper to have the patient's permission and also to introduce the patient to the person who will be observing.
For patients undergoing routine endoscopy under moderate sedation a single nurse is required in the room in addition to the performing physician.
You may experience a sore throat or some mild cramping and bloating. These symptoms typically resolve after the first day. Because sedatives may impair your judgment and coordination, you are required to have someone drive you home and to stay with you for a short period of time after the procedure.
Under moderate or deep sedation, you're likely to have no memory of the procedure, but you will not be unconscious. General anesthesia. Although rare for an upper endoscopy, general anesthesia may be used in hospital settings with high-risk patients.
There is no obstruction to breathing during the procedure, and patients breathe normally throughout the examination. All patients are closely monitored during the procedure including oxygenation, pulse rate, blood pressure, and will receive oxygen supplementation through the nose throughout the examination.
An endoscopy typically takes 15 to 30 minutes.
During the Endoscopy
Next, a mouth guard will be placed in your mouth so that the endoscope will not damage your teeth. At this point, if you are receiving sedation, you will start to be sleepy and will most likely remain asleep throughout the procedure, which generally takes about 10 to 20 minutes.
Preparation for an Endoscopic Appointment
The sedation is to promote comfort to the patient, but will make the patient groggy for several hours and slow reflexes for up to 12 hours. This is why you cannot drive your car or perform activities that require quick reflexes until the following morning.
Unsedated endoscopy may be advantageous for several reasons. First, it significantly decreases the risk of hypoxemia and respiratory depression. Second, it reduces the procedure and recovery room time, and the associated costs.
During the procedure, try not to swallow unless you are asked to. Someone may remove the saliva from your mouth with a suction device. Or you can allow the saliva to drain from the side of your mouth. Your doctor will look through an eyepiece or watch a screen while he or she slowly moves the endoscope.
The procedure may be uncomfortable, but it shouldn't be painful. You'll receive an intravenous sedative or another form of anesthesia. Someone should drive you home after the procedure. You lie on your left side during the procedure, which takes about 30 minutes.
“However, the discomfort related to gagging during an endoscopic procedure can be avoided, particularly by numbing the back of the throat and using sedatives,” said Dr. Perino. “As long as you are adequately sedated, you will not gag.”
However, sometimes it is not safe to have an endoscopy; for example, if you have severe breathing problems, unstable vital signs, unable to lie flat for long periods or you have problems with the digestive tract, then it can make a gastroscopy very difficult to be done.
Changing the patient's position could improve the probabilities of successful endoscopy. However, each position carries some degrees of risk and this is applied in each procedure. Commonly approved positions include lateral, prone and supine.
You will be laid on your side or back in a comfortable position as the endoscope is gently passed through your mouth and into your esophagus, stomach and duodenum. Air is introduced into your stomach during the procedure to allow a better view of the stomach lining. The procedure usually lasts 3-15 minutes.
Endoscopy procedure process
An endoscopy nurse will escort you from the waiting room to the Prep/Recovery area, where you will be assigned to a private bed space and asked to remove your clothing and change to a hospital gown. A nurse will check your vital signs and review your medial history and medication list.
The gut lining does not have nerves that give sharp pains but they can sense movement, stretching or pressure. If no sedative is used, some endoscopies can be uncomfortable but not painful. For examinations of the pancreas and gall bladder (ERCP), it is accepted practice for people to be offered a sedative.
Day of endoscopy
Nothing to eat or drink at least 8 hours before the procedure. Medication can be taken 4 hours before examination with little sips of water. DO NOT TAKE ANY ANTACIDS OR CARAFATE BEFORE THE PROCEDURE or any of the medications mentioned. Wear loose comfortable clothing.
The most common discomfort after the examination is a feeling of bloating as a result of the air introduced during the examination. This usually resolves quickly. Some patients also have a mild sore throat. Most patients are able to eat shortly after the examination.
Uvular necrosis after endoscopy: a case report and review of the literature. Suction devices have sufficient negative pressure to result in the tip of the uvula being pulled into the suction tip. Necrosis of the uvula usually causes sore throat and odynophagia; management is supportive.
With sedation, you will be comfortable with little or no awareness of the procedure taking place. Dr Sami, our Consultant Gastroenterologist, covers whether an endoscopy is painful in one of our patient videos: Is endoscopy painful?
Major complications occurred in 0.01% and minor complications in 0.3% of patients with sedation, compared with 0.007% and 0.05%, respectively, in unsedated patients. Mortality was 0.004% with sedation and 0.002% without sedation. Of the minor complications, 33% were respiratory and 12% were hypotension.
There is minimal recovery involved with the upper endoscopy procedure, and little discomfort. Post-procedure symptoms may include grogginess from the sedation, a feeling of bloating, sore throat, nausea, difficulty swallowing, and mild pain where the IV was inserted. These usually resolve within 48 hours.
You can return to work the day after unless your physician specifically tells you otherwise. How do I get my results? Results are given by the doctor to you in the recovery room. You may or may not remember talking to the doctor so your results will also be in your discharge instructions.
You shouldn't eat or drink after an endoscopy until you can comfortably swallow. When you resume eating, you should keep your meals small and light for 24-48 hours after the procedure. Alcohol should also be avoided for at least 24 hours. Once you feel like you're back to normal, you can resume your typical diet.