How is a painless gastroscopy performed?

Painless gastroscopy is a procedure based on conventional gastroscopy, utilizing general anesthesia to allow patients to undergo the examination comfortably while asleep. This enables visualization of lesions in the esophagus and stomach. The process of painless gastroscopy is as follows:

1. Fasting preparation: Patients must begin fasting after dinner the day before the procedure and remain fasting until the examination is completed the following day.

2. Anesthesia: Intravenous anesthesia is administered via an indwelling IV catheter for painless gastroscopy.

3. Endoscopic examination: The patient bites down on a mouth guard to prevent teeth from closing and damaging the endoscope. Once the patient is fully asleep, the endoscope is gently inserted through the mouth guard into the pharynx, then advanced through the esophagus into the stomach and duodenum. If suspicious lesions are identified, biopsies may be taken for pathological examination.

4. Post-procedure observation until full awakening.

After the procedure, patients may experience fatigue, dizziness, or headache. These symptoms typically resolve with rest and upon full recovery from anesthesia. Should discomfort persist or fail to subside, patients are advised to seek prompt medical follow-up at a hospital.