Gastroscopy Q&As
Published by Bupa's health information team, April 2009.
Answers to questions about gastroscopy
This section contains answers to common questions about this topic. Questions have been suggested by health professionals, website feedback and requests via email.
- How soon after my gastroscopy can I eat or drink?
- Will it be a problem if I cough or gag during my gastroscopy?
- Will my doctor be able to treat my condition during the gastroscopy?
How soon after my gastroscopy can I eat or drink?
If you have had a local anaesthetic spray to numb your throat, you may eat and drink as soon as the sensation in your throat and mouth has returned to normal. If you haven't had a local anaesthetic, you may eat and drink as soon as you feel ready. You shouldn't drink hot drinks until the anaesthetic has worn off completely.
Explanation
Your doctor will offer to spray a local anaesthetic on to the back of your throat to numb your throat and tongue during the procedure. If you have the local anaesthetic spray the effect will last for a few hours afterwards.
As your mouth and throat will be numb, you will need to wait until the sensation in your throat and mouth has returned to normal before you can eat and drink. This usually takes from about 30 minutes to two hours. Start with sips of cold drinks and don't have hot drinks until the anaesthetic has worn off completely.
Your throat may feel sore for the rest of the day.
Sources
- Personal communication, Mr S Pollard, Consultant General Surgeon, Spire Leeds Hospital, 19 July 2008
Will it be a problem if I cough or gag during my gastroscopy?
Swallowing the gastroscope doesn't usually cause any problems. Sometimes, as the gastroscope passes down your throat, it may cause you to gag. Gagging won't affect the procedure, but may be unpleasant.
Explanation
A gastroscopy is done using a narrow, flexible, tube-like telescopic camera called a gastroscope. The gastroscope is passed through your mouth and down your oesophagus towards your stomach. Usually, you will swallow the gastroscope without any problems, as it's no larger than a piece of food.
Before the procedure your doctor will offer to spray a local anaesthetic on to the back of your throat, which will numb your throat and tongue area. This will help to prevent any gagging that may be caused by the gastroscope as it passes down your throat. If you're sedated, this also helps to relax the throat and prevent gagging. As you won't have eaten before the procedure, your stomach will be empty and you can't be sick. Once you have swallowed the gastroscope, any gagging will usually stop and your doctor may then give you some more sedation.
Sources
- Personal communication, Mr S Pollard, Consultant General Surgeon, Spire Leeds Hospital, 19 July 2008
Will my doctor be able to treat my condition during the gastroscopy?
A gastroscopy is a procedure that allows the doctor to look closely at the lining of your gastrointestinal tract (your oesophagus - the pipe that goes from your mouth to your stomach, stomach and your duodenum - the first part of your small intestine). It's usually carried out to investigate the cause of your gastrointestinal symptoms and provide a diagnosis. However, it's sometimes used to deliver treatment.
Explanation
The purpose of a gastroscopy is usually to find out what is causing of your gastrointestinal symptoms, such as indigestion, repeated vomiting or vomiting blood.
Your doctor may be able to do this simply by looking at the lining of your gastrointestinal tract, or he/she may take small samples of tissue (a biopsy) during the procedure. These will be sent to a laboratory for testing to determine the type of cells and whether these are benign (not cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). The results of these tests will determine your treatment.
If your doctor finds any polyps (small growths of tissue) in your gastrointestinal tract he/she will remove them during the procedure. This is done using special instruments passed inside the gastroscope, and is quick and usually painless.
Your doctor may take a biopsy sample to test for an infection of the stomach called Helicobacter pylori, which can cause indigestion and ulcers. A biopsy is a small sample of tissue. He/she might then do a rapid test on the biopsy and if it's positive for the infection, prescribe you a course of tablets to treat the infection straight away.
If you have bleeding from damaged tissue in the gastrointestinal tract, a gastroscopy may also be used to allow your doctor stop the bleeding. This is done by passing instruments through the gastroscope to heat-seal (cauterise) the bleeding blood vessel or inject the tissue with a substance that stops bleeding.
If you have an early cancer this can sometimes be removed using a technique called endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) or other 'ablative' treatments which remove the affected area using laser or high-frequency energy (eg radiofrequency ablation or photodynamic therapy).
Sources
- Longmore M, Wilkinson IB, Rajagopalan S. Oxford Handbook of Clinical Medicine. 6th ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004:228
- Personal communication, Mr S Pollard, Consultant General Surgeon, Spire Leeds Hospital, 19 July 2008
- Barrett's oesophagus. Macmillan Cancer Support. www.macmillan.org.uk, accessed 3 November 2008
Related topics
This information was published by Bupa's health information team and is based on reputable sources of medical evidence. It has been peer reviewed by Bupa doctors. The content is intended for general information only and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional.
Publication date: April 2009
Gastroscopy factsheet
Visit the gastroscopy health factsheet for more information.
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