Frequently asked questions

What is videogastroscopy?

It consists of examining the oesophagus, stomach and duodenum using an optical instrument (endoscope) with a video chip at the distal end, which allows us to see and record images of the areas studied on a TV monitor.

What preparation is required?

You must fast for 6 hours before the examination, including water and medication.

How is the test performed?

If the test is performed under sedation. You will be asked to lie down on a stretcher, a thin tube will be inserted into a vein in your arm, you will be placed in the left lateral decubitus position, and the anaesthetist will begin the sedation. While you are asleep, we will insert the endoscope through your mouth to examine your oesophagus, stomach and duodenum. If the test is performed without sedation, we will apply local anaesthesia to the pharynx and perform the test with the patient in the same left lateral decubitus position.

In all cases, it is a quick test that takes an average of 2–3 minutes.

What should I do after the test?

If you have been sedated, you will wake up in 5–10 minutes. You will feel fine, but you will not be able to drive or perform any activities for the first few hours. If you have not been sedated, you can resume your normal life immediately.

What is video-colonoscopy or colonoscopy?

It is a thorough and complete examination of the colon using a video endoscope, from the rectum to the cecal pouch, with the possibility, if necessary, of inserting it into the terminal ileum.

What preparation is required?

For proper preparation for the test, it is advisable that the colon be clean and free of faecal matter. To do this, you must follow a low-residue diet for 3 days before the test.

• You must not eat: salads, vegetables, fruit, potatoes, meat or fish in sauce or stews, cold meats, milk or dairy products, fats, cakes, chocolate or fizzy drinks.
• You may eat: grilled or boiled meat and fish, eggs, broths, rice and pasta soups, filtered juices, tea, coffee and plenty of fluids.

The day before the test, you must begin a specific preparation that will vary depending on your medical history and the time of the test (morning or afternoon) in order to completely cleanse the colon. The secretary will explain the details of this preparation to you when you book the test.

You must arrive having fasted for 6 hours (including water) before the test and accompanied by someone else.

How is the test performed?

We recommend performing the test under sedation controlled by an anaesthetist. To do this, once you are lying down on the table, they will insert a cannula into a vein in your arm, with you lying on your back. Once sedation has begun, the test is performed, which consists of inserting the endoscope into the anus, blowing in a little air to facilitate observation, and advancing until the cecum. During the endoscopy, samples (biopsies) can be taken from any area and, if detected, polyps can be removed (polypectomy).

What should I do after the test?

You should not drive or perform any work for 6–8 hours after treatment. It is normal to notice slight abdominal distension due to the air introduced, which is resolved when expelled.

At some point, tests, especially colonoscopy, can be uncomfortable, so we recommend having them done under sedation.

Sedation is administered by an anaesthetist through the injection of a short-acting intravenous sedative, which is monitored by the doctor during the examination. Under the effects of this sedative, you will sleep peacefully during the test and wake up in 5–10 minutes, without discomfort or any other side effects associated with traditional anaesthetics. However, your reflexes will not be the same, so you will not be able to drive or carry out any work for the next 4–6 hours.

It is important that if you are going to be sedated, you come accompanied and have not eaten or drunk anything (including water, juices, tea, etc.) for 6 hours before the test.

No. If the test is to be performed under sedation, you must be accompanied by someone, and even if the endoscopy is to be performed without sedation, it is advisable to come with someone. If this is not possible, please let us know so that we can reserve sufficient waiting time at the Day Hospital.

Yes. Upon leaving the Unit, we will provide you with a report containing photos of our observations, taken during the examination. The results of any biopsies must be studied by a pathologist, who will send us the results within 4–5 days.

If the test was performed under sedation, you will not be able to drive or work for 6 hours afterwards, although you will be able to eat and will feel fine.

When performed without sedation, you can resume your normal activities 20–30 minutes after the test, though you may experience some abdominal bloating after a colonoscopy.

Yes. Before entering, we will provide you with explanatory brochures about the tests to be performed, including the different options, risks, and benefits. These consents must be signed before the test is performed. We will give you one for the endoscopic test and another for sedation, in which you will also be asked if you have any medical conditions, if you are taking any medication, etc.

If you are coming in for a normal endoscopy, you do not need to bring any other tests with you. However, if the endoscopy is being performed based on the results of other diagnostic tests (radiology, CT scan, ultrasound, analysis), it is always helpful for us to see them. Likewise, if you have had a previous endoscopy, it would be helpful if you could bring the report and the pathological anatomy results with you.

If the test involves therapeutic measures [Therapeutic ERCP (Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography), polypectomy], it is advisable to bring test results showing platelet count and coagulation tests.

If you are allergic to any medication or are being treated with SINTROM or anticoagulants, please inform us before taking the test.

If you have an artificial heart valve, please let us know beforehand, as it may be necessary to administer antibiotic prophylaxis 1 hour before the endoscopy.

It is normal to feel some apprehension about repeatedly using the same endoscopes on different patients. For this reason, we are very rigorous about sterilising the equipment we use, which is single-use whenever possible (needles, polypectomy loops, sphincterotomes) or sterilised by gas in the central sterilisation unit at the Centro Médico Teknon.

Endoscopes are handled in accordance with the recommendations of the American and European endoscopy societies.

To do this, once used, they are cleaned inside and out with enzymatic soap, repeatedly brushing all channels. Studies show that this measure eliminates all bacteria and viruses.

Next, a leak test is carried out to detect any small perforations or faults in the system that would prevent proper disinfection.

Once the system has been checked, it is submerged and a disinfectant solution capable of eliminating all bacteria, fungi and viruses within the specified time is injected through all channels. Each endoscope is assigned a timer to verify compliance with these periods and is placed in a ‘washer’.

Once this time has elapsed, the endoscopes are rinsed with sterile water and dried with an air pump, leaving them hanging vertically to prevent contamination.

It should be noted that both the mouth and rectum, which are the first points of contact for the endoscope during the examination, are full of millions of harmless germs, meaning that once in contact with them, the endoscope is no longer sterile. The purpose of cleaning and disinfection processes is to completely destroy any viruses and bacteria that could be contagious, which we achieve fully with the process described above. Likewise, and for added safety, we periodically culture the endoscope channels before use as a form of quality control. The results are always negative.