Esophagogastroduodenoscopy - Overview (EGD, Upper Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, Upper GI Endoscopy, Gastroscopy, Esophagoscopy)

During the Procedure

 An EGD may be performed on an outpatient basis or as part of your stay in a hospital. Procedures may vary, depending on your condition and your physician´s practices.

Generally, an EGD follows this process:

1. You will be asked to remove any clothing, jewelry, or other objects that may interfere with the procedure. If you wear dentures, you will be asked to remove them until the procedure has been                                             completed.
2. If you are asked to remove clothing, you will be given a gown to wear.
3. An intravenous (IV) line will be inserted in the arm or hand. A sedative will be injected into the IV.
4. Your heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, and oxygen level will be monitored during the procedure.
5. You will lie on your left side on the x-ray table with your head bent forward.
6. Numbing medication will be sprayed into the back of your throat to prevent gagging as the endoscope is passed down your throat into your stomach. The spray may have a bitter taste to it. Holding your breath while the physician sprays your throat may decrease the taste.
7. You will not be able to swallow the saliva that may collect your mouth during the procedure due to the endoscope in your throat. The saliva will be suctioned from your mouth from time to time.
8. A mouth guard will be placed in your mouth to keep you from biting down on the endoscope and to protect your teeth.
9. Once your throat is numbed and you are sufficiently relaxed from the sedative, the physician will ask you to swallow the endoscope. By using the endoscope´s camera system, the physician will guide the endoscope down the esophagus, through the stomach, and into the duodenum.
10. You may experience a sensation of pressure or bloating as the endoscope is being advanced.
11. If needed for your specific situation, samples of fluid and/or tissue may be taken at any time during the procedure. Other procedures, such as the removal of an obstruction, may be performed while the endoscope is in place.
12. After the examination and procedures have been completed, the endoscope will be withdrawn

 

After the Procedure

After the procedure, you will be taken to the recovery room for observation. Once your blood pressure, pulse, and breathing are stable and you are alert, you will be taken to your hospital room or discharged to your home. If this procedure was performed as an outpatient, you should plan to have another person drive you home.
You will not be allowed to eat or drink anything until your gag reflex has returned. You may notice some soreness of your throat and pain with swallowing for a few days. This soreness is normal.
You may resume your usual diet and activities after the procedure, unless your physician decides otherwise.
Notify your physician to report any of the following:

• fever and/or chills
• redness, swelling, or bleeding or other drainage from the IV site
• abdominal pain, nausea, and/or vomiting
• black, tarry, or bloody stools
• swallowing difficulties
• throat or chest pain that worsens

Your physician may give you additional or alternate instructions after the procedure, depending on your particular situation.