Gastric endoscopy or gastric binoculars are performed to determine the condition of the stomach more clearly and significantly. This examination is generally recommended for those of you who often experience various complaints related to gastric diseases, such as recurrent heartburn.
This procedure is performed using an endoscope, which is a tube-shaped instrument with a camera at the end. Not only serves to take pictures or videos, gastric endoscopy can also be used to take gastric tissue, as a sample for biopsy examination.
Purpose of Gastric Endoscopy
Actually, the main purpose of gastric endoscopy is to help doctors see conditions in the stomach and detect abnormalities in the stomach, such as ulcers, inflammation or infection of the stomach, and gastric cancer.
If during a gastric endoscopy there are signs of cancer, the doctor can immediately perform a biopsy or take a tissue sample. A sample of gastric tissue will be examined in a laboratory to determine whether the tissue is cancerous, and what type of cancer is in that tissue.
Gastric Endoscopy Preparation
Before performing a gastric endoscopy, there are several preparations that need to be done, including:
Health history check
Before undergoing an endoscopic procedure, of course, the doctor will also ask or check your complete medical history. Starting from the history of the disease you were experiencing at that time or the surgery you had undergone, to a history of disease in the family.
Drug history check
All information about your health and the medicines you are taking will affect the procedure for gastric endoscopy, especially regarding previous drug consumption. Tell your doctor if you are allergic to any medications, or if you are taking any medication.
Fasting before surgery
Generally, doctors will ask you to fast for about 6-12 hours before undergoing an endoscopic examination. This is necessary because the stomach must be empty when endoscopy is performed. To ensure this, the doctor will likely give you a laxative the night before.
Gastric Endoscopy Procedure
After the various preparations are done, the doctor will start the gastric endoscopy procedure by giving a sedative or anesthetic. The anesthetic is usually given in the form of an injection or a liquid that is sprayed down the throat through the mouth.
After the anesthesia, you will feel calmer, maybe even fall asleep. The goal is that when the endoscope is inserted through your mouth into your stomach, you don't feel pain.
During this procedure, the doctor will examine in detail whether there is a disturbance in your stomach, be it wounds, bleeding, signs of infection, or abnormal tissue growth.
The condition of the gastric cavity and gastric wall will be clearly seen through the image captured by the camera at the end of the endoscope. This image can be recorded in the form of photos or videos.
The results of the gastric endoscopy will support the results of other examinations, to determine the diagnosis and cause of the gastric disease you are suffering from. Thus, the doctor can provide the appropriate treatment.
In general, gastric endoscopy is a safe examination. After the examination, the patient is also usually allowed to go home on the same day.
Therefore, you do not need to worry if the doctor recommends this examination. So that the examination goes smoothly and the results are clear, ask your doctor about what preparations you need to do.