24/08/2025
🩺 What Is an Upper GI Endoscopy?
An Upper Gastrointestinal (GI) Endoscopy, also called esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD), is a procedure used to examine the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum (the first part of the small intestine) using a flexible tube called an endoscope.
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🔍 Purpose of the Procedure
It helps diagnose and sometimes treat conditions such as:
- Chronic abdominal pain
- Vomiting or nausea
- Difficulty swallowing
- Gastrointestinal bleeding
- Suspected ulcers, inflammation, or tumors
- Celiac disease or Crohn’s disease
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🧒 Pediatric Considerations
In children, the procedure is done with extra care:
- A smaller endoscope is used.
- The child is usually sedated or under general anesthesia to ensure comfort and safety.
- A pediatric gastroenterologist performs the procedure in a controlled setting like an Operating Theatre (OT) or endoscopy suite.
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🛠️ Step-by-Step Procedure
1. Preparation
- Fasting: The child must not eat or drink for several hours before the procedure.
- Consent: Parents/guardians provide informed consent.
2. Insertion of Endoscope
- A mouthguard is placed to protect teeth and the scope.
- The endoscope is gently inserted through the mouth, down the esophagus, into the stomach, and then the duodenum.
- The scope has a camera and light to transmit images to a monitor.
3.Examination and Intervention
- The doctor inspects the lining for abnormalities.
- Biopsies (tiny tissue samples) may be taken for lab analysis.
- If needed, treatment like stopping bleeding or removing a foreign object can be done.
🌟 Benefits of Upper GI Endoscopy
✅ Accurate Diagnosis
- Direct visualization of the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum
- Detects inflammation, ulcers, bleeding, tumors, or structural abnormalities
🧪 Tissue Sampling
- Allows biopsies for conditions like celiac disease, H. pylori infection, or eosinophilic esophagitis
🛠️ Therapeutic Capabilities
- Can remove foreign objects, control bleeding, or dilate narrowed areas during the same procedure
🧒 Child-Friendly Approach
- Performed under sedation or anesthesia, ensuring comfort and safety
- Minimally invasive with quick recovery
📉 Reduces Need for Exploratory Surgery
- Offers a non-surgical alternative to investigate GI symptoms
📊 Guides Treatment Plans
- Helps tailor medications, dietary changes, or further interventions based on direct findings