Afraid of gastroscopy? Learn in advance and eliminate your fear!

Author: Chu Jindong, The Fifth Medical Center, PLA General Hospital

Liu Tingting The Fifth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital

Reviewer: Lu Zheng, deputy chief physician, Fifth Medical Center, PLA General Hospital

Gastroscopy can help doctors visually detect inflammation, ulcers, polyps and even tumors in the patient's digestive system, which is of great significance for the early detection and treatment of digestive tract diseases. However, many people are afraid of undergoing a gastroscopy, which often stems from a lack of understanding of the examination process, thus hindering the early detection and treatment of the disease. Today, this article will take you to an in-depth understanding of the entire process of gastroscopy, answering common questions that arise during the entire process of gastroscopy, aiming to help you eliminate your fear and face this important health examination more positively.

1. What preparations are needed before gastroscopy?

1. Fasting and drinking water should be stopped 6 to 8 hours before gastroscopy. Patients with poor gastrointestinal motility after splenectomy should extend the fasting time according to their own conditions.

2. Eat foods with little residue and easily digestible the night before the examination, such as porridge, bread, steamed buns, egg custard, tofu, noodles, etc. Avoid eating vegetables and fruits, such as watermelon, dragon fruit, tomato, kelp, fish, meat, etc.

Figure 1 Copyright image, no permission to reprint

3. Remove removable dentures before examination (implanted and fixed dentures that are not removable do not need to be removed) and hand them over to family members or the patient for safekeeping.

4. Prepare oral defoaming agents and local anesthetics according to the staff's instructions.

5. If the patient has diabetes or feels dizzy, palpitations, etc., please inform the medical staff in time for timely treatment.

6. Those who take oral anticoagulants such as aspirin, clopidogrel sulfate, warfarin, etc. should inform medical staff in advance. If necessary, they should stop taking the medicine for one week as ordered by the doctor and then undergo examination.

7. Hypertensive patients can take antihypertensive drugs 3 hours before the operation on the day of examination (with a small amount of water).

8. Outpatient patients: They need to bring valid identification documents (ID card, medical insurance card, military security card, etc.), gastroscopy application form, examination form (hepatitis B, hepatitis C, AIDS and syphilis, etc. examination report form) to the endoscopy center to make an appointment, and report to the triage desk on the day of the examination.

9. Inpatients: On the day of examination, please bring your valid ID or wristband and examination application form to the triage desk and wait in line.

2. How to cooperate with gastroscopy?

1. Take defoaming agent and local anesthetic orally 15 minutes before the examination.

2. Remove removable dentures before examination.

3. Lie on your left side, bend your legs upwards, cross your arms across your chest, and relax your whole body.

4. You may experience nausea when the gastroscope reaches the pharynx. Cooperate with the doctor in swallowing during the gastroscopy.

5. You may experience nausea and vomiting during the examination. You need to relax your whole body, adjust your breathing, inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth. Do not swallow your saliva, let it flow out naturally to avoid choking.

6. After gastroscopy, you should not eat or drink anything for 2 hours, and your diet should mainly consist of light, easily digestible soft food.

3. Why can I only eat and drink 2 hours after a gastroscopy?

1. Taking local anesthetics orally before gastroscopy can paralyze the throat. Do not eat or drink water too early to avoid choking and aspiration due to the anesthetics not yet wearing off. It is generally recommended to eat or drink 2 hours after gastroscopy.

2. When performing a biopsy or there are special circumstances such as hemorrhagic lesions during gastroscopy, you need to follow the doctor's advice to extend the fasting and water retention time.

4. What should I do if a gastroscopy shows Helicobacter pylori infection? What should I pay attention to?

1. The latest view is that eradication treatment should be carried out when Helicobacter pylori infection is found. Effective eradication of Helicobacter pylori is of great significance for the prevention and control of gastric cancer. To eradicate Helicobacter pylori, it is necessary to take drugs that inhibit gastric acid, antibiotics and bismuth agents as prescribed by the doctor, which can achieve an eradication rate of more than 90%.

Figure 2 Copyright image, no permission to reprint

2. To check whether the eradication treatment is successful, you need to come to the hospital for a reexamination 4 weeks after the treatment. In addition, regular check-ups are also recommended after the successful eradication of Helicobacter pylori infection. After completing the eradication treatment, a small number of patients will experience symptoms of reflux esophagitis, most of which are mild and generally do not require treatment. In daily life, pay attention to food hygiene, oral hygiene, and disinfect bowls and chopsticks at home frequently to reduce the probability of reinfection.