Gastroscopy: whether dangerous, harm, alternative

Gastroscopy is a common diagnostic procedure used in gastroenterology to diagnose diseases of the upper gastrointestinal tract. The essence of the procedure is that the patient swallows a special tube with an optical system at the end. It allows you to view the walls of the esophagus, stomach, duodenum and identify possible pathologies. It is used when gastritis, peptic ulcer, and bleeding are suspected. It is the main method of early diagnosis of cancer of the gastrointestinal tract.

The advantage of this method is that it allows for a detailed examination of the internal organs, their walls and mucous membranes. If an oncological process is suspected, a biopsy can be taken for further cytological and histological examination. It is possible to take a scraping from the mucous membrane to determine the number of Helicobacter bacteria, which are the causative agents of gastritis and ulcers. The diagnostic procedure can at any time develop into a therapeutic one. If polyps are detected during the procedure, they are removed. Also, during the examination, minor bleeding can be stopped, ligatures can be applied to dilated veins and vessels.

The disadvantages of the procedure include discomfort during the procedure, the patient's fear of swallowing the tube. A big problem is the gag reflex that occurs when swallowing the tube. This is a natural protective reflex that cannot but occur when the pharynx and root of the tongue are affected. But thanks to the latest achievements in pharmaceutical science, it has become possible to suppress this reflex. During the procedure, the pharynx and oral cavity are treated with an anesthetic that relieves pain. Muscle relaxants are also used, they relax the muscles, so the tube passes freely through the esophagus without encountering resistance. The gag reflex also does not occur.

There are also other types of the procedure. For example, there is a more gentle method - transnasal gastroscopy, in which a very thin tube is inserted through the nose into the esophagus and stomach. In this case, there is no pain or gag reflex, the procedure is considered more comfortable.

During capsule gastroscopy, the patient swallows a capsule with water. This capsule contains a built-in video system and a sensor. Such a capsule moves freely along the digestive tract, transmitting an image of the walls of internal organs to the doctor's computer. Then the received data is processed using a special program, and a preliminary diagnosis is issued. After the working time has elapsed, the capsule is excreted from the body naturally, with feces.

This is the only way to examine all sections of the intestine, including the small intestine. Colonoscopy allows you to examine the digestive system, starting from its lower sections, with difficulty reaching the large intestine. Traditional gastroscopy allows you to examine only the upper sections, in which the gastroscope only reaches the duodenum. The capsule passes through all sections. The disadvantage of this method is that the doctor can neither slow down nor speed up the movement of the capsule, nor can he unfold or fix it. But scientists are working on this, and soon such capsules will be available that the doctor can control from a computer.

Gastroscopy is also performed under general anesthesia and in sleep. In the first case, the patient is put under general anesthesia, in the second case - into a state of drug-induced sleep. The advantage is that the patient is asleep, does not move, his muscles are relaxed, and the doctor can calmly perform all the necessary manipulations. The disadvantages include the fact that the patient is not in a conscious state. Usually, the doctor performs the procedure, focusing on the current state of the patient, his breathing, reflexes. In the event of an unforeseen situation or deterioration in health, the patient can give the doctor a pre-established signal.

Such methods are often used for children, people who are excessively afraid of the procedure, people with unbalanced psyche, pregnant women. Medicinal sleep does not have a negative effect on the body.

Each type of gastroscopy has its own advantages and disadvantages, so the doctor independently chooses the appropriateness of this or that method. In this case, the doctor relies on a set of data. It is also taken into account that gastroscopy has contraindications.

Is gastroscopy dangerous?

Patients who are about to undergo the examination are often worried and afraid of the consequences. Many wonder whether this procedure is dangerous. It is worth reassuring the patient right away - the procedure is considered absolutely safe. It is performed even on pregnant women up to 4-5 months and small children, which indicates the safety of the method.

Safety largely depends on the patient. If the patient does not interfere with the doctor, does not resist, the procedure will be quick, painless, without any consequences. You need to try to relax as much as possible, not be nervous, breathe calmly. If you resist, you can get mechanical damage to the esophagus, stomach, or blood vessel. Both during the procedure itself and in preparation for it, you must follow all the recommendations and instructions of the doctor. If there is an allergic reaction or individual intolerance to drugs, you need to tell the doctor about it. This will reduce the risk and prevent the development of a pathological reaction, anaphylactic shock.

Patients who suffer from heart and vascular diseases, nervous disorders should undergo the procedure with caution. The presence of concomitant diseases should also be reported to the doctor in advance. He will assess all the risks and make a conclusion about the advisability of such a study.

Complications after the procedure

After the procedure, you may experience numbness, swelling, loss of sensitivity in the throat area. This is normal. These are the effects of local anesthesia. The sensations will pass after 1-2 hours. Various unpleasant sensations in the throat area may also occur, including pain, burning, and irritation. This usually goes away on its own after 2-3 days, without the need to take any action.

There are no more consequences. This is due to the fact that today the technology is more advanced, it allows to carry out the procedure carefully. Moreover, usually the consequences that arise are not related to the digestive tract, but are more related to the technique of execution and the use of drugs.

Long-term practice has proven that gastroscopy is a safe procedure. Complications are rare. A dangerous complication is perforation, which is a puncture of the wall of an internal organ. This situation requires immediate surgical intervention, since severe bleeding and subsequent death are possible. Such injuries can occur during a biopsy or removal of polyps. Bleeding often occurs during these manipulations. However, there is no need to worry, since such pathologies are extremely rare.

Sometimes perforation occurs as a result of the swelling of the walls of internal organs with air in the presence of tumors and deep ulcers. Complications are usually divided into 4 groups:

• mechanical damage (cracks, scratches, wounds, damage to organ walls, disruption of the integrity of mucous membranes);
• damage to the esophagus and stomach;
• esophageal rupture;
• gastric perforation.

The main reason for such complications is the human factor. Complications are usually the result of rough insertion of the endoscope, inadequate patient behavior, disregard for the doctor's recommendations and contraindications.

Infection during gastroscopy

Many patients are concerned about the possibility of becoming infected during a gastroscopy. Previously, such a possibility was not excluded. But today there is absolutely no need to worry about this: there is no risk of infection during the procedure. Today, there are strict standards and requirements in the field of sterilization and disinfection.

All instruments undergo careful processing. First, the endoscope is mechanically cleaned, then it is soaked in special solutions. For disinfection, the latest sterilization cabinets and autoclaves are used, which ensure 100% slaughter of any flora. In an autoclave, sterilization occurs under the influence of high temperatures and high humidity at low pressure. This ensures the complete slaughter of all possible life forms, with the exception of extreme forms (archaea) that live in deep thermal springs and volcanoes. Of course, such life forms cannot be found in a gastroenterologist's office.

There are also powerful disinfectants – solutions that provide reliable protection against microorganisms, including viral, bacterial, fungal flora and even intracellular parasites.

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Blood after gastroscopy

After gastroscopy, blood may appear if the mucous membranes are damaged, if bleeding from an ulcer opens, after taking a biopsy or removing polyps. This phenomenon is extremely rare. Usually, even if blood appears, it stops very quickly without any additional interventions. The risk of bleeding increases with blood diseases, with decreased coagulability, as well as during critical days and with hypertension.

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Pain after gastroscopy

Some patients claim that the procedure is painful, while others are sure that it is not associated with pain. The only thing that absolutely everyone agrees on is that the procedure causes discomfort and unpleasant sensations. Spasm, pain and gag reflex can be felt when the gastroscope is inserted into the throat, at the very beginning of the procedure. The psychological attitude is very important. If at this time you relax, calm down, start breathing evenly and calmly, everything will go well.

Some patients experience pain after the procedure. The throat may hurt. There may be minor pain in the esophagus and stomach. This is due to the fact that a certain amount of air is introduced into the cavity, which allows the walls of the esophagus and stomach to straighten and better examine the condition of the internal organs. Sometimes pain occurs after taking a biopsy or removing polyps, if such measures were taken. Usually, such sensations pass within 2-3 days, no measures need to be taken.

Sore throat after gastroscopy

After gastroscopy, some patients may have a sore throat. This may be due to a side effect of the medications used, or mechanical damage. It may also occur as a result of a throat spasm, due to excessive nervousness of the patient. In mild cases, this pathology goes away after a few days without the need for additional treatment. If a person has a weakened immune system, or there is a source of chronic infection in the body (for example, caries, sinusitis), an infection may join. In this case, an inflammatory and infectious process develops. Sore throat often appears.

Harm of gastroscopy

Gastroscopy can only harm those people who resist, are overly nervous and behave inappropriately. In such a situation, the risk of complications and mechanical damage increases sharply. The procedure will also be dangerous if you do not inform the doctor about allergies, intolerances to substances, concomitant diseases, diabetes, for people with blood clotting disorders, with hemophilia, especially if there is a need to remove polyps or take a biopsy. In other cases, the procedure is considered absolutely harmless.

Care after the procedure

You must not eat or drink water for an hour after the procedure. If a biopsy was performed, you can only eat warm food for 24 hours. Both hot and cold food can cause complications. The food should also be soft, preferably mashed. You should stick to a light, dietary diet for a week. Food should only be boiled or steamed, without spices, fatty and fried foods.

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Reviews

Gastroscopy is prescribed to many people. Every second patient of a gastroenterologist requires this examination. Most often, it is prescribed for diagnostic purposes. Not everyone undergoes this examination. Many refuse due to fear of infection, complications. The need to swallow a probe is also frightening. Many put off the procedure until the last minute, resorting to it only in case of extreme necessity. Most patients who have undergone the procedure leave negative reviews. They complain of discomfort, pain, gag reflex, fear of swallowing the device. At the same time, they note that the procedure is quite fast, and negative emotions are quickly forgotten. No one wants to undergo the procedure again. Numbness of the throat and oral cavity is noted under the influence of anesthetics, which somewhat reduces pain and discomfort. Sedatives help to calm down, be in a state of peace and balance, and not to be nervous. After these drugs, drowsiness, disorientation, decreased attention and reaction speed persist for a long time. On the day of the procedure, you cannot drive and it is better to have an accompanying person to help you get home.

As for specialists, they leave only positive reviews. According to gastroenterologists, whenever possible, they try to prescribe this particular examination to their patients, since it gives the most accurate picture of the disease, quickly makes a diagnosis and selects the right treatment. The advantage is that a preliminary diagnosis is made immediately during the examination.

During the examination, a biopsy and scraping can be taken to determine the content of Helicobacter. Histological and cytological examination of the biopsy can reliably determine the presence of a benign or malignant tumor. If Helicobacter is detected, which is the causative agent of gastritis and ulcers, the diagnosis can also be immediately confirmed. Gastroscopy is the only method that makes it possible to determine a tumor in the early stages and even at the stage of its origin and take appropriate measures. Often, this method is the only method on the basis of which an accurate diagnosis can be made immediately. If there is insufficient information, additional studies can be carried out.

Doctors also prefer this method because it allows them to immediately carry out treatment during the examination: apply ligatures to the vessels, remove polyps, and cauterize areas of possible bleeding.

Many patients, with excessive fear that does not allow the examination to be carried out, undergo gastroscopy in sleep. There are two ways to do this - either under anesthesia or in a state of drug-induced sleep. The second option is preferable, since the drugs used are harmless, do not put stress on the heart and blood vessels. This procedure is also carried out for people with neuropsychiatric disorders, and also if it is necessary to carry out the procedure often. For children under 6 years old, the procedure is carried out under anesthesia.

People speak positively about this method. They do not remember anything. When they wake up, they understand that the study has already been conducted. Doctors who conduct the study speak negatively about this method. They say that contact with the patient is important, which makes it possible to monitor his condition and react to possible changes in time.

As for capsule gastroscopy, this is the most favorite method of patients. It is comfortable, safe, absolutely painless. The patient simply swallows a capsule that travels through the digestive tract and transmits information to the doctor's computer.

However, many patients were disappointed later. Many have to undergo a traditional gastroscopy, since the picture turns out to be incomplete. Or during the procedure, a suspicion of an ulcer or oncology arises. Then it is still necessary to insert a gastroscope to take a biopsy or scraping for further laboratory testing. Doctors consider this method to be the only method that makes it possible to examine the condition of the small intestine, since no other instrument can reach this section. The disadvantages, according to experts, are that there is no way to fix the camera, stop it or turn it. This makes it possible to notice pathology, but it is not always possible to see it. Therefore, it is often necessary to resort to the traditional method.

Also, many patients believe that the method is very expensive and not informative enough. Not all cities have such equipment. Basically, only residents of large cities can afford such a procedure. Many note that the procedure is pleasant and painless. Basically, those who have had a sad experience of undergoing traditional gastroscopy resort to it. It presents a general picture and makes it possible to detect only major pathologies, small ones often remain unnoticed. In this case, the probe cannot be avoided anyway.

Many patients have difficulty undergoing traditional gastroscopy, even running away, unable to overcome their fear. But an injection of sedatives is a salvation, and allows them to calmly endure the procedure. Some even lose consciousness at the sight of the hose. Sedatives also come to the rescue in this case. Or gastroscopy is used in sleep. Upon waking up, the patient simply does not remember anything. Many people experience numbness and a sore throat for several hours after the procedure.

Alternative to gastroscopy of the stomach

Many patients ask themselves: what can replace gastroscopy? Often this method causes an insurmountable fear and is avoided in every possible way. Currently, medicine has a wide variety of diagnostic methods. Fractional probing, X-ray methods, and ultrasound examination are used to examine the condition of the stomach and esophagus.

Various laboratory tests, biopsy, laparoscopy are used. Sometimes there is a need to conduct pH-metry. But today the most informative and popular method is gastroscopy. Other methods do not give such accurate results and do not have such capabilities as gastroscopy or FEGDS. With this method, you can almost immediately, even without additional methods, make an accurate diagnosis. Other methods are considered auxiliary, or allow you to identify the picture of pathology from a completely different angle.

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Gastroscopy or MRI

Gastroscopy and MRI are two completely different methods that are not analogous to each other. They cannot be considered interchangeable.

X-ray of the stomach or gastroscopy

Many patients try to avoid gastroscopy and look for an alternative. Often, if the patient refuses the examination, it is necessary to resort to an X-ray of the stomach. But this method is less informative, it does not provide the information that can be obtained with gastroscopy. This examination is painless, but it is harmful to the body. The contrast agent that a person drinks and the dose of radiation, even if insignificant, cannot but have negative consequences for the body. Radiation exposure is extremely undesirable, especially in the case where gastroscopy can be performed.