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Gastroscopy
Gastroscopy is en endoscopic investigation
where the oesophagus, stomach and duodenum are examined with a flexible
fibreoptic instrument which is passed via the mouth. Intravenous
sedation is required, and an anaesthetist will administer this.
The examination is not painful, but there may
be some soreness of the throat following it. It is possible that
biopsies (small specimens taken from the lining of the stomach) may be
taken to help in making a diagnosis.
Particular Instructions:
- Do not eat or drink anything for 6 hours before the examination
- Take all your usual tablets (with a sip of water)
- Because of the sedation given, it is very important that you do not
drive a car, travel on public transport alone, operate machinery or
sign legal documents on the same day as the test.
After the procedure
As a result of the sedation administered after
waking you will feel a little drowsy and may find your memory of the
procedure is poor.
You will need to rest for an hour or two before you go home. You may return to your normal diet as soon as you feel ready.
Related Downloads
Authorised: Adrian Polglase
Reviewed: Monday, February 27, 2006
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Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Gas
July 18, 2007 |
| We’ve all experienced intestinal gas, some more than others. While belching, bloating, and flatulence are considered normal, the urge to pass gas can cause social embarrassment, discomfort and pain. Although you can’t stop gas from forming, you may be able to alleviate the symptoms through diet, lifestyle changes and medications. If you experience persistent gas pains, you should talk to your doctor.
For more information on intestinal gas, visit the ACG Web site at www.acg.gi.org
Source: American College of Gastroenterology (ACG)
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Bowel cancer finding brings screening closer
July 18, 2007 |
| RESEARCHERS have identified for the first time a gene that triggers bowel cancer, a move that could bring closer a genetic screening test for the disease.
The gene, carried by about half the population, appears to increase the risk of developing bowel cancer by 20per cent.
Bowel cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in Australia, accounting for about 13,000 new cases a year.
So far, faulty genes have only been implicated in about 5 per cent of all cancers, and 5 per cent of bowel cancers.
In the case of bowel cancers, the genetic defects so far associated with the disease are all thought to be associated with faulty cellular repair mechanisms, meaning that the body loses the ability to kill off cells that start to divide abnormally.
Bowel cancer is also the second most common cause of cancer death in Australia, accounting for 4372 deaths in 2003, or 11.5 per cent of the total fatalities. It is notoriously hard to pick up for a number of reasons, including the difficulty of picking up warning signs - such as blood in the faeces - and patients' reluctance to see their doctors.
This year the federal Government began rolling out a screening program, costing $43 million over three years, whereby older Australians send in a faecal sample for testing.
If blood that could indicate a cancer is detected in the sample, the patient may be called in for further examinations.
The latest findings, published in international journal Nature Genetics, suggest a faulty gene found on chromosome 8 may trigger bowel cancer, and account for 10per cent of all cases of the disease. |
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| Let's Beat Bowel Cancer |
| An initiative of Cabrini Health, Let's Beat Bowel Cancer is a not-for-profit, community awareness program dedicated to saving lives through improved bowel cancer research, education and prevention.
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