EGD stands for esophagogastroduodenoscopy
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| What is an EGD? |
This is a test or procedure that is usually done as an out patient.
A flexible tube with a light and a video camera at the end is inserted
through the patients mouth. With this test, we can visualize the inside
lining of the esophagus, stomach and first part of small bowel which is
known as the duodenum. |
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| Animated Video |
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| Will I be asleep? |
Usually, patients are asleep for this test. There are always some
exceptions. This is not anesthesia but is called "conscious sedation".
So, there is a slight chance, patients may remember the test or have
some discomfort. |
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| Why is it usually done and what can you do during the test? |
| Your doctor may choose to do the test for a lot of reasons. They include |
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Evaluation of upper abdominal pain |
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For evaluation of long term reflux disease to rule out
a pre cancerous condition called Barretts. |
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Evaluation of chest pain IF the heart is thought
NOT to be the cause of the pain |
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Difficulty swallowing |
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Patients who may have black stools or bleeding |
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| During the test, your physician can : |
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Look for ulcers, pre cancerous conditions |
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Remove small polyps |
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Stop bleeding by injecting applying heat or injecting the bleeding site with medications |
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Take biopsies |
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| What are the side effects of the test? |
| The test is generally very safe. Complications are generally uncommon. Complications that can happen include |
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Bleeding or if the person is already bleeding, it may not always be possible to stop the bleeding. Some patients may require surgery in that situation. |
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Infection. Some patients, if they throw up can develop pneumonia. |
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Perforation or poking a hole. This would be serious and can require surgery. |
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Side effect to the medications. |
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Infection at the IV site. |
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Missing an ulcer, mass or polyp is also a possibility. |
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Patients who have other underlying diseases can have complications of the underlying disease during the test. |
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| Overall, the test is extremely safe and complications are rare. |
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| Do I need a ride after the test? |
Yes. We also recommend not working or making any significant decisions after the test. The medicines
that we give for the test, often makes the patient forgetful. Patients should also have someone with them
at home for the rest of the day. |
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| When will I know my test results? |
There is some information the physician can give right away. If a biopsy has
been taken, it may take up to a week to get those results back. |
