Preparation for gastric gastroscopy: what you can and can not eat, diet

Gastroscopy is one of the types of endoscopic examination, in which the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines is examined using special equipment. The main instrument used for gastroscopy is a fibrogastroscope. This device contains an optical system. The terminal section is mobile. Due to this property, it is possible to view all sections of the mucous membrane in the esophagus, stomach, and intestines.

Gastroscopy can be painless, thanks to modern medical capabilities. Currently, local anesthesia, painkillers, and sedatives are used to perform the procedure. Gastroscopy can have several purposes: diagnostic, therapeutic. The main advantage is the ability to visualize for diagnosis. During the procedure, a biopsy can be taken, minor manipulations can be performed, such as removing a polyp, small growths on the mucous membrane. This often makes it possible to avoid open surgery.

The method has high accuracy, and therefore some are an alternative to X-ray examination. The time frame is relatively short, it is performed on an outpatient basis. The procedure can be performed even on children. Children often have to undergo gastroscopy under anesthesia.

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Indications

Indications for conducting may be constant patient complaints of nausea, vomiting. Unreasonable loss of appetite, signs of bleeding may also indicate the need for gastroscopy. If there are signs indicating insufficient passage of food through the esophagus, a feeling of pain during swallowing, then gastroscopy can also provide a lot of useful information. It is often performed when there is a suspicion of an oncological process.

Rules for preparing for gastroscopy

Carrying out the study requires careful preparation. If the preparation has not been carried out in full, erroneous results may be obtained. In some cases, the procedure has to be postponed altogether, since its implementation becomes impossible. All the nuances of preparation are discussed with the attending physician.

During the preparation process, the doctor talks to the patient, finds out his/her individual characteristics and health condition. The patient must inform the doctor about any concomitant diseases, allergic reactions, or other reactions that may have a significant impact on the procedure. This will give the doctor the opportunity to adjust the preparation and procedure, and take appropriate measures. If you feel nervous, anxious, or afraid, you should also inform the doctor about this. Psychological readiness is an important condition for the successful completion of the procedure.

The doctor will explain some points, and perhaps many problems will turn out to be unfounded. Unfounded concerns only bring discomfort to the patient and interfere with the procedure.

The doctor must have information about the fact that you are being treated with any medications, and the presence of serious diseases, including heart disease, other serious diseases. The doctor must know about the existing or planned pregnancy, the presence of diabetes, the use of insulin drugs.

The doctor must have information about the intake of blood thinning drugs in order to be able to take timely measures in emergency situations, for example, when bleeding occurs. The doctor must also know about previous surgeries, especially if they affected the esophagus, stomach, intestines.

After you have discussed all the details of the upcoming procedure with your doctor, you need to sign a consent form for the examination. Before you sign, make sure that you have asked the doctor all the questions you are interested in, and learned about all the risks and benefits. Also, ask what exactly the doctor expects to receive from the results of the examination, how they will help in further treatment, and why the doctor prefers this particular method.

The examination is carried out on an empty stomach. The ideal time for the examination is in the morning. Due to the tight schedule in some departments, it is natural that the examination is sometimes carried out both during the day and in the evening. But if you have the opportunity to choose the time, give preference to the early morning hours.

If the procedure is scheduled for the morning, you can safely eat in the evening. Dinner can be substantial and full. However, the products should be light and easily digestible. They should act gently on the walls of the stomach and intestines, have a gentle effect. In general, eating is allowed no more than 6-8 hours before the procedure.

It is not recommended to drink in the morning on the day of the procedure, and eating is prohibited. In some cases, the procedure may be performed under anesthesia. If such a procedure is planned, the last meal is allowed approximately 10-12 hours before the procedure. Such preparation significantly facilitates the procedure, reduces the likelihood of vomiting during the manipulation, and therefore eliminates such a dangerous complication as vomit entering the respiratory tract. In addition, the accuracy of the manipulation increases tens of times, eliminating the need for further additional, clarifying procedures. The accuracy of the analysis and interpretation of data also increases significantly.

If the patient takes drugs that neutralize the effect of hydrochloric acid, they should be discontinued, since the natural environment in the gastrointestinal tract may be disrupted, the accuracy of diagnosis will be significantly reduced, and the picture of the disease will be distorted. Examination of the stomach and intestines will be difficult, which may contribute to incorrect diagnosis and false results.

It is also recommended to stop taking aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs a few days before the procedure. These drugs thin the blood, reduce its clotting, and therefore, the risk of bleeding increases significantly. During the procedure, it may be necessary to perform a biopsy or remove polyps or other formations. At the site of such an intervention, as a result of the action of the drugs, bleeding may occur, which will be quite difficult to stop. Bleeding in the stomach entails serious consequences: long-term stomach upset, vomiting, nausea, pain. If the blood is in a normal state, such a complication cannot occur. Normally, as a result of the intervention, the bleeding stops in a few seconds.

If allergic reactions are present, the doctor may prescribe preliminary antihistamine therapy, which will significantly reduce the risk of developing an allergic reaction, complications, and anaphylactic shock. In addition, the doctor performing the gastroscopy must be prepared to provide first aid in the event of a reaction to anesthesia, sedatives, and other drugs.

You should quit smoking about 2-3 hours before the procedure. Dentures or removable teeth should be removed before the procedure. You should also remove all jewelry and ornaments. Contact lenses are also removed before the procedure. Usually, the doctor asks you to wear special protective underwear. If such underwear is not offered, you should take care in advance that the clothes are comfortable, soft, do not contain collars, uncomfortable fasteners, buttons, or hard elements. You may need a towel or sheet to cover your clothes.

For the patient's convenience, it is better to empty the bladder before the procedure.

You need to think about your departure home in advance. It is advisable to have someone nearby to take you home, since after the procedure the patient is under the influence of sedatives, painkillers, anesthesia, which can last for several hours after the procedure.

Preparing for gastroscopy in the morning

If gastroscopy is scheduled for the morning, it is much easier to prepare for it. It is enough not to eat anything in the morning, right before the examination. In the evening, you can allow yourself a normal meal. Dinner should be light, but complete.

In the morning you can neither eat nor drink. In extreme cases, you can drink a few sips of water three hours before the procedure. That is, if the procedure is scheduled for 9-00, then you can drink water at 6-00 in the morning at the latest. And then no more than 100-150 g of water is allowed. You can drink only clean water that does not contain impurities or dyes. The water should be non-carbonated. But if it is possible not to drink at all, it is better to abstain.

If daily medication is required, for example, for hypertension, they cannot be cancelled. Take a pill 3 hours before the procedure, wash it down with a minimum amount of water. If the treatment does not require daily medication, you can postpone taking it until the next day.

Smoking should also be stopped at least 3 hours before the procedure. Clothing should be loose, without hard parts or sharp elements.

Preparing a patient for gastroscopy in the afternoon

If the procedure is scheduled for the afternoon or evening, you must not eat for 8 hours before the procedure. You can drink liquids 3 hours before the examination. But you can drink no more than 2-3 hours. The water must be exclusively non-carbonated, since gas formation can negatively affect the condition of the mucous membranes and distort the results of the examination. Dyes, additives, and impurities should be excluded. You must take a change of shoes, a towel, and comfortable clothes with you.

Preparation for gastroscopy under anesthesia

Gastroscopy is usually performed without anesthesia, but at the patient's request, both local and general anesthesia can be used. Basically, anesthesia is the prerogative of private clinics. This is due to the fact that in public hospitals, clinics, and other medical institutions, the budget is not designed to provide pain relief for the procedure. Private clinics provide paid services, so it is possible to make the procedure painless and comfortable.

In private clinics, the patient may be offered a number of specially selected drugs. Muscle relaxants are widely used, which relax the muscles, which significantly facilitates the passage of the probe through the esophagus, its swallowing. Also, the use of muscle relaxants facilitates the absorption of anesthesia by the body, the natural pain threshold is reduced.

The safest type of anesthesia is local anesthesia. It causes virtually no complications and does not require lengthy preliminary preparation. As a rule, if local anesthesia is used, it involves irrigating the mucous membranes with an anesthetic agent that provides anesthesia.

The only condition for preparing for such an event may be preliminary sanitation of the oral and nasal cavity from bacteria and viruses. For this, gargling and washing of the nasal cavity are used. Special antiseptic drugs are used that either kill bacteria or reduce their numbers. Such preparation will take several days. This also prevents the development of inflammatory diseases, allergic reactions. The risk of complications is significantly reduced. In many clinics, preference is given to drugs such as propofol, midozals.

General anesthesia is not recommended for the procedure. However, at the patient's request, general anesthesia may be used. It is necessary to understand and realize that anesthesia affects the entire body as a whole. It is a serious burden on the body, after which additional recovery is necessary. Anesthesia provides a burden on the heart and kidneys.

General anesthesia can be used if the patient has an overwhelming fear, or even panic before the procedure, before the sight of the equipment. First, it is necessary to conduct psychological preparation of the patient, but if it is not effective, the use of general anesthesia is allowed.

Carrying out the procedure under anesthesia is a more complex procedure, since in such a state the patient does not control the process and cannot give any sign. Increased control by medical personnel is required, in most cases it is necessary to connect special equipment. There is a need for respiratory and monitoring equipment.

Another disadvantage of general anesthesia is that the procedure cannot be performed on an outpatient basis. It is performed only in a hospital setting, since the patient requires medical supervision.

General anesthesia is also used for children under 6 years of age. If a long procedure is expected, general anesthesia may also be required. The method of administration of anesthesia is intravenous.

What can you eat?

The basis of preparation for gastroscopy is, first of all, proper nutrition. It is necessary to follow the diet for about 2-3 weeks before the procedure. The main preparation takes place in the last 2-3 days before the procedure. First, it is necessary to minimize the consumption of flour products, bakery products, and pastries.

Various sauces, mayonnaises, adjikas should leave your table. Spicy, smoked foods, fatty dishes are contraindicated. Spicy foods, seasonings, spices, marinades are not recommended. Fatty meats and fish, sausages, lard will negatively affect the results of the study, complicate the procedure. The reason is low digestibility of food. Food residues can be found in the digestive tract. This confuses the doctor, complicates diagnosis, complicates the interpretation of the results, does not allow to view the entire food channel.

Alcoholic beverages should be excluded from the diet approximately 48 hours before the procedure. Even low-alcohol beverages are contraindicated, including fermented products: wine, beer, kvass. Sweets, chocolate, nuts, and seeds should be excluded. Any products containing vegetable fats are excluded completely.

In the evening, on the eve of the procedure, a light dinner is allowed. Dinner can be plentiful. It may not differ in any way from an everyday dinner. The only thing that must be observed is the lightness of the food, a gentle regime. Food should not burden the stomach, intestines. Mayonnaise and any other mayonnaise-based sauces, salad dressings will have to be excluded from the dinner. Bakery products, bread, meat and fat, as well as cheeses are also not suitable.

The ideal dinner would be a piece of boiled chicken fillet, mashed potatoes, or steamed chicken cutlets combined with lettuce leaves and greens. Instead of potatoes, buckwheat porridge, steamed broccoli, or low-fat cottage cheese are suitable as a side dish. You should not eat pearl barley, beans, peas, or lentils.

Eating and drinking water

The last meal and water intake should be at least 6-8 hours before the procedure. Water is allowed to be consumed at least 3 hours before the procedure, but not more than 100 ml, and only in case of extreme necessity. If there is no such necessity, you should adhere to the fasting regime.

After the procedure, you can eat in about 2-3 hours. The doctor should inform you about the procedure for exiting the fasting regime. Usually, this time coincides with the end of the anesthesia, which is manifested in the disappearance of the sensation of a numb tongue.

Diet

Approximately 14 days before the planned manipulation, as well as some time after the gastroscopy, it is recommended to follow a diet, eat right. The doctor should warn about this. If he did not do this, you need to look at the situation. After gastroscopy, the diet should be followed until complete recovery, until the feeling of discomfort completely disappears.

The food should be light and balanced. It is necessary to eat as little fatty and spicy foods as possible. Roast and smoked foods will not do any good. It is better to eat boiled or steamed dishes.

It is recommended to eat more hot (first) dishes.

It is also better to abstain from alcoholic drinks and coffee. It is healthier to drink tea or herbal infusion instead of coffee.

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Preparing for a child's gastroscopy

Performing a gastroscopy on children is much more difficult. But there is no need to worry too much. Children have a thinner, more vulnerable mucous membrane. It has many more vessels that are easily damaged. The muscular layer is underdeveloped. Therefore, special endoscopes of reduced sizes are used for children. Their diameter does not exceed 6-9 mm. If the child is over years old, anesthesia will not be required.

For children under 6 years of age, general anesthesia is required. Anesthesia is used if the child is overly active, afraid, if his condition is critical, if the study is planned to be relatively long in time.

Psychological preparation is important for the child. You should ask the doctor in advance how to prepare the child psychologically for this procedure. The presence of the mother or another close person nearby, support is important for the child.

Otherwise, preliminary preparation of a child for gastroscopy is no different from that of an adult. The doctor must be informed in advance about taking any medications, concomitant diseases, possible allergic reactions. Then you need to discuss with the doctor the specifics of the procedure.

A few days before the procedure, you should follow a diet. The last meal should be the night before. Drinking is prohibited 3 hours before the procedure.

Contraindications

Despite the high information content of the method and its relative harmlessness, there are contraindications to its use. Thus, gastroscopy is contraindicated in various types of insufficiency: cardiac, renal, hepatic. The procedure is also contraindicated in heart attack, stroke, circulatory disorders. The procedure may be contraindicated in aneurysms, hypertension, circulatory disorders. Even severe mental disorders may be a reason for refusing the procedure.

However, there are cases when gastroscopy is performed despite contraindications. This happens in emergency situations, such as acute myocardial infarction.

In other cases, the procedure cannot be performed without prior consultation with a gastroenterologist. The doctor evaluates all the risks and benefits and makes a conclusion about whether the procedure is worth performing.

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