Gastroscopy & Colonoscopy

A gastroscopy is a technique to look directly into your gullet (oesophagus), stomach and the first part of the small bowel (duodenum). A colonoscopy is an examination of the large bowel (colon).

What is gastroscopy?
This test is a very accurate way of looking at the lining of your
upper digestive tract, and to establish whether there is any disease present.

The instrument used in this investigation is called a gastroscope. It is flexible and has a diameter less than that of a little finger.

Within each gastroscope is an illumination channel which enables light to be directed onto the lining of your upper digestive tract and another which relays pictures back to the endoscopist onto a television screen. During the investigation, the doctor may need to take some tissue samples (biopsies) from the lining of your upper digestive tract for analysis: this is painless. The samples will be retained. A video recording and/ or photographs may be taken for your records.

What is colonoscopy?
This test is a very accurate way of looking at the lining of your large bowel (colon), to establish whether there is any disease present. This test also allows us to take tissue samples (biopsy) for analysis by the Pathology Department if necessary.

The instrument used in this investigation is called a colonoscope (scope) and is flexible. As with the gastroscope there is an illumination channel which enables light to be directed onto the lining of your bowel, and another which relays pictures back, onto a television screen. This enables the endoscopist to have a clear view and to check whether or not disease or inflammation is present.

During these investigations the endoscopist may need to take some samples from the lining of your colon for analysis, this is painless. These samples will be retained. A video recording and photographs can be taken for record and documentation purposes.

Surgical services Dr Krishna performs