Select Procedure
Before-Visit Checklist
- ✓Confirm your appointment details and time with the clinic office.
- ✓Verify insurance pre-authorization / referral requirements.
- ✓Arrange for a responsible adult escort to drive you home (required for sedated procedures).
- ✓Bring a complete list of all medications, dosages, and vitamins you currently take.
- ✓Bring your ID card, insurance card, and any relevant prior lab work or reports.
- ✓Follow your dietary prep timeline strictly. If you consume food/liquids during fast times, the doctor may have to reschedule your test for safety.
Upper GI Endoscopy (EGD)
Visual examination of the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum using a thin, flexible lighted scope.
Procedure Overview
An Upper Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, also known as Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD), is a procedure used to visually examine your upper digestive system. It helps diagnose conditions affecting the esophagus, stomach, and the beginning of the small intestine (duodenum). During the test, a small camera mounted on a thin, flexible tube is inserted through the mouth, allowing the doctor to detect inflammation, ulcers, tumors, or bleeding, and take tiny tissue samples (biopsies) if needed.
Clinical Benefits
- •Highly accurate diagnosis of reflux, ulcers, and early-stage cancers.
- •Allows for immediate therapeutic interventions (stopping bleeding, widening strictures, removing polyps).
- •Quick and minimally invasive with low recovery time.
- •Biopsies can be taken painlessly during the procedure.
Associated Risks
- •Mild throat soreness or bloating (common, resolves within 24 hours).
- •Reaction to sedative medication.
- •Bleeding at the biopsy or polyp removal site (very rare).
- •Perforation or tearing of the digestive tract wall (extremely rare, < 1 in 10,000 cases).
Patient Preparation Guide
Preparation TimelineStarts 8-12 hours before the procedure
Strict Compliance RequiredStep-by-Step Instructions:
- 1Fast: Do not eat or drink anything (including water) for at least 8 hours prior to the procedure.
- 2Medications: Inform the doctor about all medications, especially blood thinners, insulin, or NSAIDs. Some may need to be adjusted.
- 3Escort: Arrange for a responsible adult to drive you home, as you will receive sedation and cannot drive for 24 hours.
Post-Procedure Recovery
Recovery Period1 to 2 hours in the clinic, full recovery by next day
Post-Op GuidelinesDischarge Instructions:
- 1Rest in the recovery area for 30–60 minutes until the sedative wears off.
- 2You may experience a mild sore throat; warm tea or throat lozenges can help.
- 3Start with light liquids and progress to normal food as tolerated.
- 4Do not make critical decisions, drive, or operate machinery for 24 hours.