Excerpt from Esophagogastroduodenoscopy
Synonyms, Key Words, and Related Terms: EGD, gastroscopy, upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, GI endoscopy, upper GI endoscopy, endoscope
Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) is a procedure during which a small flexible endoscope is introduced through the mouth (or with smaller caliber endoscopes, through the nose) and advanced through the pharynx, esophagus, stomach, and duodenum. An enteroscope, a longer endoscope, can be introduced beyond the ligament of Treitz into the jejunum. EGD is used for both diagnostic procedures and therapeutic procedures. Most modern endoscopes now use a video chip (charged coupled device) for better imaging, as opposed to the older endoscopes, in which fiber optics are used for image transmission.
In the United States, the procedure is usually performed while the patient is under conscious or moderate sedation, although it can be performed with only topical anesthesia (common practice in Europe and Asia). General anesthesia is often used in a selected group of patients who are difficult to sedate due to chronic narcotics intake. The procedure is usually performed in a dedicated endoscopy unit in the hospital or outpatient office setting but can also be done in the emergency department, intensive care unit, or operating room using portable endoscopy carts. Using various types of equipment and endoscopes, endoscopic ultrasound (EUS), endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), and small bowel enteroscopy can also be performed.
|
 |
|
