This is from a CHEO fact sheet I received for my son's upper endoscopy. It may differ slightly from other people's experiences and please be sure to confirm everything with your own GI and or GI nurse/team as details (times, etc. ) may again differ. This is only meant to give an idea of what to expect for those who are expecting this procedure.:wink:




WHAT IS AN UPPER ENDOSCOPY WITH BIOPSY?

The physician has ordered an upper endoscopy. During this procedure, the small intestine, esophagus, stomach and duodenum can be looked at. A long, flexible tube called an endoscope is passed through the mouth to the back of the throat, down the esophagus, through the stomach and finally into the duodenum. The end of the endoscope has a miniature video camera and a light to see. An anesthetist will be present for the procedure to put your child asleep (general anesthesia) and to monitor your child during the procedure.


WHY IS THIS NEEDED?

The reason we do this is to try to find the cause of your child's problems.

During the test, small pieces from the lining of the esophagus, stomach, and or duodenum (biopsies) are often taken. The biopsies are then examined by another doctor (pathologist) under a microscope to help in diagnosing your child's illness. Taking the biopsies cannot be felt by your child either during or after the procedure.


IS THERE ANY PREPARATION?

Follow instructions in "fasting guidelines" (set out by your GI team)


WHAT HAPPENS THE DAY OF THE PROCEDURE?

> Your child should arrive in Day Care Surgery two hours before the procedure.

> When the procedure room and doctors are ready, family and the patient will be taken to the front door of the Operating Room where you will have the chance to meet the anesthetist. Family cannot enter the OR. (I will add here that several members of IRD have been able to enter and be with their children while they were put under. As this is CHEO the procedure varies here).

> Once the child goes for the procedure, the family should go to the OR waiting room and remain there until the doctor speaks to you.

> An intravenous (I.V.) will be started in the OR, then the anesthetist will inject drugs through the IV before the test. The drugs will make your child sleep. The anesthetist may also put in a tube into the wind pipe and give other drugs through this tube to keep your child asleep.

> Your child will not be able to remember anything about the procedure.

> Once the procedure is completed, your child will go to the Recovery Room and the doctor will meet with you to discuss what was seen during the procedure.

> Once awake, yoru child will be taken to the Day Care Surgery Unit. You may join your child there.

> In the Recovery Room and Day Care Surgery Unit, the nurse will check vital signs.

> After edndoscopy there may be a feeling of fullness in the stomach the first few hours afterwards, and there may be some burping. The throat may also feel scratchy after the procedure.

> The I.V. will be removed when your child is drinking well. We suggest a lighter meal for the first meal after the procedure.

> If your child was intubated by the anesthetist for the procedure, there may be a sore throat for a day or two.

> We suggest that activities be limited after the procedure to things that do not require a lot of exertion or coordination.

> Your child will go home when the vital signs are good.

> Your child should be able to participate in regular activities the following day.


WHEN ARE THE RESULTS AVAILABLE?

The results of biopsies are usually back within 7 to 14 days and will either be called to you or discussed with you at your clinic visit.


Here is a bit on other testing for GERD as well:

http://www.infantrefluxdisease.com/reflux_tests.php

Thanks so much for posting this information. Very helpful!

Thank you Marcie! I am going to post a few others as well. It really helps sometimes to know a bit more of what you are looking at before you get there as we are all usually very shaken when we know our babies are going under, "procedure" or not.:wink:

I am already a nervous wreck and James is not having his scope and pH probe until June 5th. I think I am actually more anxious in having to deal with him those six hours he can't eat before the test. He eats every two hours right now and even being a few minutes late on his bottle or food turns pretty ugly. I just hate to have to sit and watch him be hungry. Ugh!

Any information on the pH probe would be helpful too. Our GI explained it pretty well, but getting info from moms and dads who have been there first-hand would be even better.

Thanks again for the information!

I have now posted the colonoscopy/ lower endoscopy as well. As I do not have the ph probe one I will be sure to get it on Tuesday when I am at the hospital again and will post it too, plus a few others.

Just wanted to add that during all 5 scopes that Chelsea had we were able to go back with her until she fell asleep.

She had 2 bronchoscopies--relatively the same it just looks at the vocal cords, voice box, and trachea with the same type of tool. She had 3 endoscopies but wasnt intubated for those because whenever she is intubated her trachea swells closed after they pull it out!

She is going to have another endoscopy in June sometime....Leigh where is the lower endoscopy info? That is one she hasnt had that she may have at the same time as the upper....want to read about it. Lower is the same as colonoscopy...right? If so, I know what that is.

I just posted the lower endoscopy/ colonoscopy (flexible sigmoidoscopy) one but have to sticky it yet I guess. oops!

I was going to add that we got to go in there as he was getting put under and what happened was I went in with him and laid him down, the anethetist put the gas on him and he was asleep in about 5 seconds, I gave him a kiss and then I had to leave, I did ask if I could watch (Even though I don't know if I could handle it- but it is strange to leave your baby in the hands of people you don't know) and anyway they said no. It was over really quick.

Another thing if you need any bloods taken for whatever reason, ask for them to do it while they are under, then at least they don't remember it.

Thanks for the information. This is very scary for me since my daughter is only 7 months and has to go for this procedure within one week per the GI doc. He found a hiatal hernia which can be the cause of the reflux but he has to make sure since her vomiting is bad and her food isn't digested. It's terrible for anyone to have to go thru this. I am pretty calm now, but very scared for the anesthesia part. She's just a little peanut.