A gastroscopy is a test where a specialist physician looks into the upper part of your gut (the upper gastrointestinal tract). The upper gut consists of the oesophagus (gullet), stomach and duodenum. The operator uses an endoscope to look inside your gut; therefore, the test is sometimes called an endoscopy.
An endoscope is a thin, flexible, telescope. It is about as thick as a little finger. The endoscope is passed through the mouth, into the oesophagus and down towards the stomach and duodenum.
The tip of the endoscope contains a light and a tiny video camera so the operator can see inside your gut.
The endoscope also has a ‘side channel’ called working channel through which various instruments can be passed. These can be manipulated by the physician. For example, the operator may take a small sample (biopsy) from the inside lining of the stomach by using a thin ‘grabbing’ instrument which is passed down the working channel.
A gastroscopy may be advised if you have symptoms such as: |
The sort of conditions which can be confirmed (or ruled out) include: |
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Gastroscopy is a good test for seeing abnormalities in the upper gut. However, it is not fool proof. For example, gastroscopy may not detect a small number of cases of early ulcers or early cancer. Sometimes a repeat gastroscopy may be advised if symptoms persist or get worse, even if a previous gastroscopy was reported as normal.
This is a good point. Barium meals were used for many years for the diagnosis of indigestion symptoms. However, the small disadvantages of gastroscopy – special units, day-case admission and the need for sedation – are far outweighed by the increased accuracy of diagnosis and the ability to take biopsies at gastroscopy. As a result there is relatively very few indication for barium meals and they are seldom performed nowadays.