With what frequency can fibrogastroscopy of the stomach be done. Is frequent FGDs harmful to health, and how often is such a study recommended? Is gastroscopy dangerous?

Fibrogastroduodenoscopy (FGDS) is a non-invasive, highly informative method for examining the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract - the stomach itself and the duodenum 12. During the diagnosis, therapeutic manipulations can also be performed, as well as a biopsy, which is especially relevant if an oncological process is suspected. There is only one way to answer the question of how often FGDS can be done - it can be done as often as required for accurate diagnosis or evaluation of treatment results, since the study is completely safe.

Fibrogastroduodenoscopy is one of the methods for examining the upper digestive tract.

What is the purpose of such a study?

FGS is done on an outpatient basis, special preparation before the study is not required. It is prescribed for diagnostic purposes:

• in cases of suspected ulcer, gastritis, burns of the gastric mucosa;
• with long-term dyspeptic disorders;
• with pain syndrome, the exact cause of which cannot be established;
• to monitor the effectiveness of ongoing therapy, may be re-appointed;
• with a decrease in blood hemoglobin with an unexplained cause.

Since the procedure is harmless, the question: “how often can gastroscopy of the stomach be done” can be considered irrelevant - the frequency of the study is determined by the doctor. Many women are concerned about the question of whether it is possible to undergo such a diagnosis during menstruation. It is also not a contraindication for endoscopic examination. Restrictions for the appointment of FGS are mental illness in the acute phase, pulmonary insufficiency, acute inflammatory diseases of the oropharynx.

Is frequent gastric endoscopy allowed?

If FGDS is performed by a qualified specialist, the equipment is subjected to correct processing, and the rules of asepsis and antisepsis are strictly observed in the endoscopy room. Thus, the procedure is absolutely harmless. It should be noted that the study is unpleasant, and patients are reluctant to agree to it. As a preventive measure, it is recommended to undergo FGDS once a year, if there are problems with digestion. The frequency may change.

The frequency of FGDS is determined by the attending physician

For example, with gastritis, a lot depends on whether it is acute or chronic, on treatment tactics and the presence of prerequisites for the development of comorbidities. After the diagnosis is established and the course of treatment is carried out, it is often necessary to perform a second examination. This tactic allows you to objectively assess the effectiveness of therapy, and make timely adjustments. Only a doctor will determine exactly how often FGS should be done, evaluate the feasibility of conducting it during menstruation, and the possibility of prescribing it for concomitant diseases.

Prevention is better than cure

Such a study is useful to carry out and exclusively for preventive purposes. How many times a year it is necessary to examine the stomach is not regulated. But as practice shows, an annual examination helps to recognize the very first symptoms of diseases in a timely manner, when their treatment is most effective. Specialists allow such a study to be performed as needed, but at least once every 5 years - even in the absence of any symptoms.

You do not need to worry about how often you can do an EGD study of the stomach - the doctor who prescribes this study is able to assess all risk factors. The number of studies is not limited, it is considered so safe. During the procedure, you can:

• detect the very first signs of mucosal damage that cannot be seen on ultrasound or fluoroscopy;
• determine the patency of the stomach and esophagus;
• identify the presence of strictures, narrowing, tumor formations or polyps;
• Diagnose reflux and its degree.

Normal (left) and GERD (right)

There is practically no need to prepare for the FGS - the last meal is allowed at the usual time for the patient, the only thing that will have to be abandoned is alcohol and breakfast, since the study is carried out only on an empty stomach.

During such endoscopy, additional manipulations of a therapeutic or diagnostic nature are allowed. After the FGS was done, the patient does not experience any discomfort. Occasionally, there may be a slight soreness when swallowing, which disappears on its own after a few hours, and does not require medical intervention. The preparatory period is also extremely simple - it is enough not to eat anything directly on the day of the study.

Recently, video is often recorded on a computer, which significantly improves the quality of diagnostics. The doctor not only gets the opportunity to review the record several times, but also consult with other specialists. The same moment allows to more accurately assess the effectiveness of the therapy.

In the elderly, the appointment of such an examination can be hampered by arterial hypertension and coronary heart disease - FGS will certainly cause an increase in heart rate and some increase in pressure. In this case, transnasal EGD can be prescribed, which opens up an additional opportunity for diagnosing the entire nasopharynx. At the same time, the patient retains the ability to communicate with the doctor, talking about his feelings, and when the probe is inserted, the gag reflex does not occur.

Conditions of the gastrointestinal tract (its upper section), since this procedure allows you to visually assess the presence of damage to the gastric mucosa, the presence of polyps, erosions, ulcers, bleeding and other pathologies of the walls of the stomach and duodenum. Many patients are interested in the question of how safe this, in general, unpleasant procedure is, and how often gastroscopy can be done in the presence of various pathologies of the digestive tract.

However, this study is prescribed for many other diseases. For example, cardiovascular: before coronography, an endovascular cardiologist must make sure that there is no. Otherwise, the operation will be postponed, since the patient must take strong antithrombotic drugs on the eve of the operation, which thin the blood and promote bleeding.

Indications for the appointment of gastroscopy

Such general symptoms as nausea, diarrhea, vomiting do not always indicate the presence of diseases of the digestive tract, but if the patient complains, he will most likely be prescribed a series of studies that should confirm or refute suspicions of gastritis, duodenitis or other gastric pathologies.

Among other indications for the appointment of gastroscopy, the following should be noted:

• suspicion of the presence of malignant neoplasms in the stomach / esophagus;
• the need for constant monitoring of the state of the epithelium of the stomach in the treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
• symptoms of stomach bleeding;
• when a foreign object enters the stomach;
• if the patient often experiences pain in the epigastric region;
• Difficulties experienced by the patient when eating;
• to clarify the diagnosis in a number of diseases that are not related to the pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract.

Deciphering the results

The uninitiated will certainly not be able to interpret the resulting images, since the resulting image will rather resemble some kind of fantastic landscape. But an experienced doctor is able to make an accurate diagnosis, guided by the method of comparison with the mucosa without pathologies.

It looks like this:

• the color of the mucosa ranges from red to pale pink;
• even with an empty stomach, there is always a little mucus on the surface of the walls;
• the front wall looks smooth and shiny, and the back wall is covered with folds.

With gastritis, ulcers, stomach cancer, deviations from the norm appear, which neither X-ray nor ultrasound can fix. But gastroscopy will definitely reveal them: with gastritis, an increased amount of mucus, swelling and redness of the epithelium will testify to the disease, local minor hemorrhages are possible. With an ulcer, the surface of the walls is covered with red spots, the edges of which have a whitish coating, indicating the presence of pus. With stomach cancer, the back wall of the stomach is smoothed, and the color of the mucosa changes to light gray.

How often can a gastroscopy be done

In life, there are often situations when we do not attach importance to certain symptoms indicating the presence of a pathology, and when a diagnosis is made, we begin to intensively look for ways to get rid of it, undergoing consultations and examinations with various specialists. In the case of gastritis, no doctor will take up treatment without receiving accurate information about the condition of the mucosa. And there are often cases when, after undergoing a gastroscopy, a new specialist can refer the patient for a second examination to make sure that no significant changes have occurred since then. Therefore, many patients are interested in how long it takes to re-do gastroscopy.

In principle, in the absence of contraindications, the number of such manipulations is not limited, but in practice they try not to prescribe a study more than once a month - this is exactly the expiration date of the results of the previous study. In the chronic course of the disease, in order to prevent complications (peptic ulcer, oncology), this study is prescribed 2-3 times a year. In the process of treating gastritis, if the real effect of drug therapy does not coincide with the expected one, gastroscopy can be performed more often.

Conclusion

FGDS is a generally safe procedure, although quite unpleasant. Complications in this case are extremely rare: minor damage to the walls of the esophagus / stomach, infection, an allergic reaction to medications. Sometimes after the procedure there are painful sensations in the throat, which disappear after 2-3 days. How many times you can do a gastroscopy over a certain period of time - the attending physician decides. If necessary, the procedure is performed with the frequency that is necessary for the successful treatment of pathology.

Gastroscopy is a modern diagnostic endoscopic technique that allows you to visually assess the condition of the esophagus, stomach and duodenum. With the help of this study, a variety of pathologies can be identified, which is important for timely diagnosis and treatment. However, since the procedure is quite unpleasant and sometimes even painful, gastroscopy is often performed under anesthesia.

General information

According to statistics, more than 80% of modern people suffer from various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. In order to timely diagnose pathologies (including the identification of neoplasms), gastroscopy is prescribed. The study is carried out using a soft and flexible endoscope. It is equipped with video equipment and a light source. Despite the fact that the diameter of the endoscopic tube is much smaller than the diameter of the esophagus, the patient may experience discomfort and even pain during the procedure. That is why gastroscopy under anesthesia is becoming more and more popular today.

Indications

Usually people visit doctors only when something hurts them. Gastroscopy is prescribed for the following symptoms:

• Frequent nausea and vomiting.
• Swallowing problems.
• Constipation or diarrhea.
• Sudden weight loss without objective reasons.
• Loss of appetite.
• Injuries or burns of the gastrointestinal tract.

People with the following diseases should be examined regularly and visit gastroenterologists:

• celiac disease
• Gastritis.
• Ulcers of the stomach or duodenum.

Previously, the study was carried out without sedation and anesthesia, but today gastroscopy under anesthesia (patients' feedback about it is mostly positive) provides an opportunity to undergo the procedure without any discomfort.

Contraindications

Studies that require anesthesia are not allowed for everyone. So, gastroscopy cannot be performed if the patient:

• Aneurysm of large vessels.
• Heart rhythm disturbances.
• Serious breathing problems.
• Cerebral circulation disorders.

Training

In order for the study to be as informative as possible, it is necessary to follow all the recommendations given by the doctor. Usually, the procedure is prescribed exclusively for the morning hours, because gastroscopy of the stomach under and without anesthesia should be carried out exclusively on an empty stomach. It is important that at least 7-10 hours pass after eating.

A few days before the study should give up alcohol. The day before the procedure, you need to stop drinking drinks that contain caffeine, including energy drinks.

Before gastroscopy under anesthesia, it is strictly forbidden to smoke. This is due to the fact that tobacco smoke can affect the reliability of diagnostic results. You should start to refrain from smoking at least two to three hours before the procedure.

Given that gastroscopy is performed under anesthesia, preparation for the study should be more thorough. Often, fluorography and a blood test are additionally prescribed. If the patient is older than 40 years, then an ECG is mandatory. Thanks to this, the doctor can be sure that the person will normally endure the procedure. As noted above, it is performed under anesthesia, and the specialist will not be able to respond in a timely manner to the patient's complaints during it.

Advantages

Conventional gastroscopy is performed without the use of any anesthesia. The only pain reliever is a spray that provides "numbness" to the pharyngeal ring. It also helps to reduce the severity of the gag reflex. Due to the fact that the patient remains conscious, the doctor gets an excellent view of all areas of the stomach and duodenum.

However, according to reviews, many patients experience a strong and even panicky fear of the procedure. During it, sensitive people may experience serious discomfort. In addition, this option is not suitable for those who have an increased gag reflex. The above categories of patients should think about gastroscopy under general anesthesia.

Types of anesthesia

With light sedation, an anesthetic is used, the concentration of which is weak. During gastroscopy, a person is in a state of half-asleep. It may seem to the patient that everything that is happening around him is not really. This technique is widely used in many developed countries of the world. Within five minutes after the procedure, the patient can speak. If everything is normal, then in an hour he is allowed to go home.

Also, during gastroscopy, general anesthesia (short-term) can be used. The patient falls asleep for only 10-15 minutes, while completely losing sensitivity. This type of anesthesia is used when there is a need to remove polyps or take tissue samples for subsequent histological analysis. Such a study can only take place in the presence of anesthesiologists.

Gastroscopy under general anesthesia is performed in cases where, during the procedure, it is planned to treat ulcers, stop bleeding or cauterize erosion. It is also justified with multiple polyposis. This type of anesthesia involves intubation (installation of a tube that ensures normal airway patency). Dosage and drugs are selected individually. After completion of the study, the patient should be under the supervision of doctors for some time.

Holding

During the procedure, a flexible endoscope with a camera is used. The patient should assume a supine position with knees bent. It is important to keep your back straight. In this case, swallowing the "gut" (as it is called in the common people) is not necessary. The specialist himself introduces an endoscopic probe into the oral cavity, gradually moving it to the stomach and duodenum. Given that the patient is under anesthesia, during all these manipulations, he does not experience any discomfort. According to the current rules of the anesthesiology service, when the study is completed, the patient must be hospitalized in a hospital. This is due to the fact that after the use of serious types of sedation, it is important for the patient to be under medical supervision.

Answering the question about how gastroscopy is done under anesthesia, one cannot but mention that, in addition to diagnostic, there is also therapeutic endoscopy. During it, polyps can be removed. Also included in this category of manipulations are various techniques for stopping gastrointestinal bleeding.

In children

Small patients may also require gastroscopy. The study is prescribed if the following symptoms are present:

• Nausea, belching, vomiting.
• Foreign bodies in the upper gastrointestinal tract.
• congenital pyloric stenosis.
• Burns and injuries of the esophagus or stomach.
• Black stool (in the form of tar).
• Diarrhea or constipation.
• Slow weight gain.

Carrying out gastroscopy for a child under anesthesia is justified, because when performing manipulations, a small patient can break out and thereby injure the larynx. Along with this, such behavior can interfere with obtaining reliable results during the study. Despite the fact that in this case the procedure is performed with equipment of a smaller diameter than for adults, the child may still experience discomfort. However, given the age of the patients, sedation and anesthesia are used less frequently. Only the doctor can make the final decision on how exactly the procedure will be carried out.

It is important to talk to the child about how and why the study is being done before starting the study. Adults should speak in a calm and measured tone. Otherwise, you can provoke a very violent emotional reaction. The less the child is afraid of the procedure, the easier it will be for both him and the doctors. At the same time, it is important to follow a diet. The last meal before the procedure is possible 8 hours before it. On the morning of the test, you can only drink a small amount of water. Otherwise, during the study, vomiting may begin, which is highly undesirable. In addition, food remains significantly reduce the information content of the study, as they worsen the view of all the walls of the organs.

Effects

Gastroscopy under anesthesia is becoming more common, and reviews about it are mostly positive. However, this procedure can also have negative consequences. In a conventional examination, the doctor has the opportunity to direct the patient's actions (ask him to relax, take the correct position, and so on). If the doctor sees that the patient cannot suppress the urge to vomit, then he will take action. When the study is carried out under anesthesia, the doctor and the patient cannot coordinate their actions.

Along with this, after the procedure, a person needs a certain time to recover. He may experience dizziness and nausea. Confusion of consciousness is also often noted. Many patients are poorly oriented in space and react slowly to what is happening. It is very important that a person has the opportunity to lie down calmly and recover from anesthesia. As soon as the doctors are satisfied that everything is in order, the patient will be allowed to go home.

Conclusion

Gastroscopy is an informative study that allows you to assess the condition of the upper gastrointestinal tract. With its help, serious and dangerous diseases, including malignant neoplasms, are diagnosed in a timely manner. Also, during the procedure, material may be taken for further research. If the doctor insists on gastroscopy, then the patient should in no case refuse, because thanks to various types of anesthesia, the patient will not experience any discomfort. However, the decision on the advisability of anesthesia still remains with the doctor after collecting an anamnesis, passing tests and assessing the general condition of the person.

Gastroscopy (EGD) is a minimally invasive study, thanks to which a specialist can carefully examine the condition of the tissues of internal organs, namely the stomach, esophagus and duodenum. As a result of gastroscopy, the doctor has the opportunity to identify in the early stages a number of diseases of the digestive tract - gastritis, ulcerative processes, esophagitis, benign and malignant tumors.

The main question that interests patients, how often can FGD of the stomach be done and whether this examination is harmful to the body is described in detail in this article.

Fibrogastroduodenoscopy is a multitasking procedure. Depending on the type of gastroscopy, the procedure is carried out at different intervals:

• diagnostic - despite the fact that gastroscopy can hardly be called a pleasant procedure, such a study is a highly accurate method of examining organs. EGD is carried out with a fiber-optic instrument, which is equipped with a camera that allows you to carefully examine the stomach and digestive organs. Diagnostic gastroscopy is recommended to be carried out at least once every 3 years, and if the patient has complaints or if the development of gastrointestinal diseases is suspected, every year;
• therapeutic - specialists turn to the therapeutic form of FGDS in cases where the disease has already been identified and it is necessary to carry out therapeutic manipulations - removal of formations, cauterization of bleeding, spraying of special pharmaceuticals inside the digestive tract. How often it is possible to do a gastroscopy of the stomach solely for medicinal purposes is determined only by a gastroenterologist;
• preventive - such gastroscopy is recommended for all patients with diseases of the digestive system. How often to carry out a preventive examination is determined by a specialist, on average from once every 6-12 months.

Note! Often, diagnostic EGD is recommended for women planning to bear a child. An early examination allows the expectant mother to alleviate the effect of toxicosis in the first trimester of pregnancy and detect other pathologies.

With full confidence to answer the question of how often it is necessary to conduct a study, only a specialist has the right to answer based on the patient's complaints, test results and anamnesis. In particular, re-examination concerns patients who have already been diagnosed with gastrointestinal disease.

For chronic gastritis

Chronic gastritis develops in patients as a result of constant exposure to various factors - chemical, physical, thermal and bacterial. With gastritis in a chronic form, specialists prescribe treatment with pharmaceuticals.

Preventive gastroscopy is prescribed to control the course of the therapeutic and restorative processes. How often it is worth doing EGD is determined by a gastroenterologist, mainly for chronic gastritis, the patient is recommended to check every 6 months, since in the absence of control, the disease develops into a more severe form, namely peptic ulcer and even stomach cancer.

With atrophic gastritis

Atrophic gastritis is one of the forms of chronic gastritis, in which the cells responsible for the secretion of hydrochloric acid necessary for digestion occur. As a result of pathological processes in atrophic gastritis, not only the process of digestion of food worsens, but also a deficiency of vitamins, including vitamin B12.

There is no general treatment for patients suffering from this disease, since no processes for the restoration of dead cells have yet been created, but there are several options for drug treatment. To control the process of treatment by specialists, fibrogastroduodenoscopy is prescribed.

Gastroscopy should be performed as prescribed by a specialist at least every 10 months, unless otherwise indicated by the condition of the digestive tract.

With esophagitis

Esophagitis is an inflammation of the esophageal mucosa. The genesis of such a disease is very diverse, ranging from influenza and diphtheria, ending with chemical and thermal effects.

Esophagitis also develops as a result of mechanical action, which is expressed in the intake of too solid food or as a result of swallowing solid objects. Gastroscopy should be carried out by specialists with extreme caution, since swallowing a special umbrella as a result of inaccurate EGD is one of the reasons for the deterioration of the walls of the esophagus.

After gastrectomy

After resection of the stomach, followed by the formation of an anastomosis, the harm from repeated EGD is minimal. The information that the specialist will receive about possible bleeding and the healing process will help to form a picture of the recovery of the digestive system and thus help to develop a treatment program based on individual indicators.

How many times to perform gastroscopy after excision of a part of the stomach will depend on the patient's condition and the speed of recovery of the body, on average, FGDS is prescribed three months after the operation, and if the rehabilitation process goes without pathological manifestations, subsequent studies will take place once a year.

Attention! There is currently no worthy alternative to FGDS. Replacing gastroscopy with ultrasound or X-ray does not give the specialist the most reliable result.

Is it worth doing EGD for prevention

Very often, a patient who has addressed a complaint to a gastroenterologist asks before gastroscopy how many times a year it is possible to do EGD and whether it is harmful to the body. The constant development of technologies, including medical ones, creates more informative instruments for examination and less and less uncomfortable for the patient. Now the diameter of some umbrellas is only 1-2 cm, while the ability to communicate and swallow during FGDs is preserved.

Important! It is recommended not to perform gastroscopy in cases where the patient has any disease of the upper respiratory tract (laryngitis, pharyngitis, tonsillitis). This is primarily due to the additional mechanical effect on the inflamed areas of the throat as a result of its implementation.

How many times gastroscopy of the stomach is done is determined only by the doctor, based on the patient's condition. For preventive purposes, more than once every 10 months. For no apparent reason, FGDS is not recommended. If an examination is prescribed by a specialist, it is carried out not only for prevention, but also for diagnosis, therefore, it is necessary to be examined on time and without fear of harm from gastroscopy.

The frequency with which FGDS should be done is determined by the attending physician. Only he is able to assess the patient's condition, while weighing all the pros and cons. The procedure is not only a safe method of instrumental examination of diseases of the stomach and duodenum, but is also used to treat the affected areas of the study area. With obvious contraindications, there are other diagnostic methods: X-ray with contrast, MRI or CT.

Indications for gastroscopy

When visiting a gastroenterologist with complaints of discomfort, often occurring in the gastric region, in addition to mandatory tests, a referral is issued to. The procedure is done from the age of 6. It may serve the following purposes:

• Diagnosis, which is carried out to identify diseases of the upper gastrointestinal tract and pathologies of the structure of organs.
• Carrying out medical procedures, such as biopsy, removal of polyps, administration of drugs to certain areas of the mucous membrane.
• Use as a prophylaxis to prevent the recurrence of the disease, clarify the diagnosis.

The study is harmful in the presence of mental disorders, diseases of the respiratory system with a predisposition to suffocation, stenosis and apnea, blood diseases, in the post-infarction and post-stroke periods. Pregnancy and lactation are not contraindications for FGDS, but it is prescribed only when absolutely necessary. Technologies allow the use of a less traumatic probing method in elderly patients. The hose is inserted through the nasopharynx, the patient can talk to the endoscopist.

When are they assigned?

Gastroscopy is prescribed for the following reasons and with such symptoms:

• Pathologies:
  • chronic - gastroduodenitis, reflux esophagitis, ulcer formation;
  • dyspepsia or gastritis, not amenable to treatment;
  • stomach ulcer or duodenal bulb;
  • thermal, acid burn of the mucous membrane of the upper digestive tract.
• Clinical picture:
  • constant feeling of fullness in the stomach;
  • exhausting belching with air or with an unpleasant odor;
  • pain in the stomach or behind the xiphoid process, radiating to the back;
  • nausea or vomiting;
  • weight loss without good reason.

Carrying out the procedure

No special preparation is required for the study. It is enough to exclude fatty, fried, sour foods, as well as carbonated drinks a day before the manipulation. Since the procedure is carried out in the morning, 12 hours before the FGDS, you do not need to eat food, pills and water, that is, you need to come on an empty stomach. The order is:

1. The patient notifies the endoscopist about his pathologies, complaints and allergic reactions.
2. After that, he is invited to drink 0.5 cups of "Espumizan" in order to avoid belching and gag reflex.
3. The person lies on the couch on his left side, the nurse inserts a dilator between his teeth with a round hole for inserting the probe, substitutes the vessel for saliva to drain.
4. The doctor inserts a flexible hose with a video camera on one end and a magnifying glass on the other into the patient's mouth, directing it through the esophagus to the stomach, and begins the examination. The whole procedure takes from 2 to 5 minutes.

Breathing during FGDS should be calm and measured, through the nose. You can breathe freely through your mouth, while the tube does not interfere.