Your stomach hurts. You are dealing with stomach discomfort and decided that it was time to call an expert to get some advice. Good move. Now, your doctor has scheduled an endoscopy to help you feel better. An upper endoscopy is a modern procedure that is more effective than x-rays for detecting cancer or discovering other problems in the upper digestive system. Outpatient hospitals in New York City specialize in making the procedure comfortable and fast. Ask your friends if they’ve had an upper endoscopy and the chances are, if they are over the age of 40, the answer is “yes.”
After struggling with digestive discomfort, patients typically set up an appointment with a gastroenterologist who will take a number of steps to determine the cause of problems. While diet, lifestyle and genetics play a role in the propensity to have stomach problems or get certain types of cancer, the chances are the discomfort is caused by issues which can be addressed without the need for invasive procedures. Dr. Seecoomar, for instance, may recommend dietary and lifestyle changes before scheduling an upper endoscopy. Nonetheless, damage to the stomach can cause problems later although the underlying discomfort has been stopped. For this reason a stomach screening is necessary.
During an endoscopy, a polyp can be removed to stop discomfort and prevent cancer. It can save your life.
An Upper Endoscopy is best used to see the source of the discomfort and to detect pre-cancerous conditions such as Barrett’s esophagus or existing cancer. Furthermore, there are a number of issues that can be immediately fixed during the procedure, including the stopping of bleeding in a blood vessel, the removal of a polyp, the widening of the duodenum, stomach or esophagus by using stents or balloons, or the removal of a foreign object in the system.
No. Your upper endoscopy will be preformed only after you’ve been briefed on all that will happen during the procedure. Most patients opt for sedation for the procedure, which means there is no pain during the scope. Some patients experience a slight discomfort following the procedure but report that discomfort dissipates quickly. For sedation, an intravenous needle is inserted into a vein in the hand or arm to deliver the medications before and during the upper endoscopy. In most cases, patients are provided a sedative to relax the patient and narcotic to prevent discomfort. An anesthesiologist will be monitoring the patient’s vital signs during and after the procedure, monitoring oxygen levels and other vital information.
The procedure typically lasts 15 minutes and is preformed while you lie on your side. The doctor may take a biopsy during the procedure and will be using imaging technology to evaluate the upper digestive system.
The procedure for upper endoscopy does not require an overnight stay. Typically, patients go to a dedicated facility that specializes in the procedure. Westside GI Center in New York City is a favorite for patients who want comfort, safety and efficiency during their upper endoscopy. Located at 619 W 54th Street in Midtown Manhattan, patients schedule appointments with participating doctors and are typically finished with their upper endoscopy within a couple of hours.
The best place to start researching what will be involved during an upper endoscopy is at the doctor’s office where your doctor can explain the details of this simple procedure. The physician who peforms the upper endoscopy is sometimes known as an endoscopist or gastroenterologist. This kind of doctor has training in performing the upper endoscopy.
An upper endoscopy is one of the most frequently performed medical procedure conducted in the United States today.
For more information, see the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (https://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/upperendoscopy/index.htm)
