Endoscopy
An EGD allows a doctor to examine the lining of the upper gastrointestinal tract, which includes the esophagus, stomach and duodenum (the first part of the small intestine). The doctor will use a thin, flexible tube with a video camera inside of it to visualize at an optimal way the internal areas while video monitoring, at the same time, the doctor takes photographs of the important area(s) and records the study in a DVD, to later analyze it along with the patient and solve any doubts.
Aside from being a diagnostic study, an endoscopy allows us to perform curative procedures, i.e., cauterization of bleeding ulcers, variceal ligation (banding) or to inject antibiotics, to expand or to widen an area that has narrowed in the esophagus or stomach, to cut and to extract polyps and to detect and perform biopsies in cases of a cancer suspicion in the upper digestive tract.
The study is performed while the patient is fasting, a serum is given to him through which an anesthesiologist will administer short duration sedatives to the patient in order to avoid any pain or discomfort, when the study is done, the patient will rest from 15 to 30 minutes and subsequently leaves the hospital on his/her own feet, without any side effects like dizziness, nausea and/or pain and can eat food without worries.