Procedures

Gastroscopy (Diagnostic and Therapeutic)

Gastroscopy is a procedure where the oesophagus, stomach and first part of the small bowel are visualised with a camera attached to the end of a flexible tube passed through the mouth. Reasons for this procedure to be performed include.

Diagnostic

Unexplained low haemoglobin or iron levels (anaemia) and is usually performed in conjunction with a colonoscopy

Dyspepsia

Heartburn

Chronic vomiting

Bleeding from the upper gastrointestinal tract (vomiting blood or passing blood per rectum)

Difficulty in swallowing (Dysphagia)

Painful swallowing (Odynophagia)

Surveillance

Barrett's oesophagus

Chronic peptic ulcer (Gastric or duodenal ulcer)

After gastric surgery (raised incidence of gastric cancer)

Confirm diagnosis

Abnormalities on barium examination

Coeliac disease (via biopsy)

Therapeutic

Treatment of oesophageal varices by banding, injection or balloon tamponade.

Injection of bleeding ulcers

Cutting off of larger pieces of tissue with a snare device (e.g. polyps, endoscopic mucosal resection)

PEG (Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy) feeding tube placement

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)

Cauterisation of angiomata, bleeding ulcers or aberrant tissue.

Retrieval of foreign bodies

Photodynamic therapy for premalignant oesophageal conditions

Drainage of pancreatic pseudocysts

Treatment of oesophageal strictures or achalasia by dilation and or stenting