Before doing the endoscopy…
With the incidence of colon cancer on the rise in Jamaica, many patients will be asked to do an endoscopy.
An endoscope is a flexible tube with a camera at the end, which is placed in the mouth, allowing your doctor to see your stomach, oesophagus as well as your small intestines; or, it is placed in the anus, allowing the physician to view the colon.
The oral method is called an upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy, while the anal method is a lower GI endoscopy or colonoscopy. Both types allow your doctor to see your entire gastrointestinal system.
For many people, having their first endoscopy can be a very terrifying experience. But consultant gastroenterologist at the University Hospital of the West Indies Dr Mike Mills said there’s no need to worry.
Here are nine things you need to know before doing an endoscopy:
1. An endoscopy is not a surgical procedure so there will be no cutting of the skin.
2. Some people worry about gagging, but a local anaesthetic can be sprayed at the back of the mouth to numb the area so that you won’t feel the urge to gag.
3. You can do an endoscopy fully awake. However, the most comfortable way to do it is by receiving a sedative agent intravenously before having the procedure. With proper sedation most patients have no recollection of the procedure.
4. For a colonoscopy, the bowel has to be emptied of faeces. To do this your physician will suggest the use of various laxatives which you can take from the day before at home. Taking your laxative before going to have the procedure done is the most important step.
5. You can’t eat or drink anything six hours before the endoscopy. This is to allow the doctor to be better able to see inside the digestive system with the camera. Also, if you do eat something, you can vomit into your lungs during the procedure, resulting in a severe respiratory infection.
6. Sometimes the doctor may need to take a small sample of tissue for a biopsy. Not to worry, this is completely painless; you won’t even know it is being done.
7. The average time for the procedure is about 10 minutes. However, it may take longer to set up for the procedure as well as recover after sedation.
8. An endoscopy is not used to view the digestive system. It is a useful tool to fix some problems with swallowing, as well as to place a feeding tube in persons who will require long-term help with their nutrition needs.
9. You can return to your normal activities the day after the endoscopy. Some people may experience a mild sore throat that lasts a couple days.
