What Is Upper Gastrointestinal (GI) Endoscopy?

Upper GI endoscopy is a medical procedure in which a gastroenterologist uses a 100 cm long flexible tube with a camera attached at the tip, called endoscope — to see the inner part of the upper digestive system.
Most of the time it is performed without sedation but for anxious or uncooperative patient it is done in light sedation. It is also called as EGD or esophagogastroduodenoscopy.

When To Go For GI Endoscopy?

Upper GI endoscopy is indicated for following symptoms…

• Heartburn, reflux
• Bleeding from mouth or passing black stool
• nausea and vomiting
• Pain, gaseous abdominal discomfort
• Difficulty in swallowing
• Unexplained weight loss
• Cirrhosis of liver for variceal evaluation
• Celiac disease
• Removal of foreign body from ugi tract
• To detect h pylori infection.
• Surveillance of Barrettt’s esophagus

Upper GI endoscopy is also indicated in abnormal lab test report like…

• Anemia and other nutritional deficiencies
• Abnormal liver function test indicating chronic liver disease.
• CT/USG showing some mass lesion in UGI tract.

A great advantage of ugi endoscopy is that doctor can take biopsy by passing an instrument through the endoscope to obtain a small piece of tissue. Biopsies are required for the accurate diagnosis of cancer, celiac disease
or gluten sensitive enteropathy, various types of gastritis, hpylori or whippel’s disease or agamaglobulinemia.

Upper GI endoscopy is also used to stop bleeding from peptic ulcer disease, varices or GAVE. It can be used to dilate the stricture related to corrosive injury or peptic ulcer or malignancy. It is also used for removing foreign
body like pins dentures, coin battery form upper GI tract and hence surgery can be avoided.

Preparation Before Endoscopy

Inner lining of your upper GI tract during is examined by endoscopy. Therefore to clearly visualize the digestive system it is advised not to eat, drink, smoke, during the 6 hours before the procedure.

How Upper GI Endoscopy Is Done?

A doctor performs an upper GI endoscopy. An intravenous (IV) needle will be placed in the arm to provide an injection for sedation. In some cases, the procedure can be performed without sedation. You will be given a spray anesthetic
on the back of your throat. This will numb the throat and prevent the gag reflex or discomfort due to endoscopy.

Patient lie on one side on an examination table. The gastroenterologist gently feed the endoscope down the food pipe and then into your stomach and duodenum. The camera which is mounted on the tip of endoscope will send a video
image to a monitor, allowing close examination of the lining of your upper GI tract. During the upper GI endoscopy, the doctor may…

• Take biopsy of tissue in your upper GI tract. Patient won’t feel the biopsy.
• Stop any bleeding from GI tract
• Perform other specialized procedures, such as dilating strictures.

The procedure most often takes 2-3 minutes. Post procedure patient can perform all the normal activities. Few patients experience bloating or nausea for a short time, a sore throat for 1 to 2 days.

Risks Involved In Upper GI Endoscopy?

Upper GI endoscopy is safest procedure in gastroenterology. Complications like perforation, bleeding, sedation related cardiac or respiratory problems are very rare after endoscopy. The risks of an upper GI endoscopy include…