Procedures

A gastroscopy is a test to check inside your throat, food pipe (oesophagus) and stomach, known as the upper part of your digestive system.

This test can help find what's causing your symptoms.

A long, thin, flexible tube with a small camera inside it is passed into your mouth then down your throat and into your stomach.

A gastroscopy can also be used to remove tissue for testing (biopsy) and treat some conditions such as stomach ulcers.

 

A colonoscopy is a test to check inside your bowels.

This test can help find what's causing your bowel symptoms.

A long, thin, flexible tube with a small camera inside it is passed into your bottom.

You'll be given a laxative so your bowels are empty for the test.

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A flexible sigmoidoscopy uses an endoscope to look at the lining of the lower part of your large bowel.

A pouchoscopy uses an endoscope to look at the pouch which is created for people whose large bowel has been completely removed.

For both these procedures, a long, thin, flexible tube with a small camera inside it is passed into your bottom.

Both these tests can help find what's causing your bowel symptoms, be used to deliver treatments and monitor existing conditions.

You'll be given a laxative, so your bowels are empty for the test.

An endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) normally examines the lining of the food pipe (oesophagus), stomach and small intestine (duodenum).

A long, thin tube with a small camera inside, called an endoscope, is passed into your body through your mouth to look at these organs.

The ultrasound sensor on the end of the endoscope sends ultrasonic waves to and from your organs to get detailed information.

The test can be used to diagnose, monitor and treat symptoms of the upper digestive tract.

This procedure examines the lining of the large bowel or the small bowel.

You swallow a capsule that contains a small disposable camera. The capsule is the size of a large pill. The camera takes thousands of pictures as it travels along your gut. The camera transmits the pictures wirelessly to a data recorder that you wear on your waist.

You might have this test if your doctor needs to look closely at the inside of your small bowel. It examines the part of the bowel that other tests such as endoscopy or colonoscopy might not always reach.

This test can be used to diagnose and monitor conditions of the bowels.

ERCP stands for endoscopic retrograde cholangio pancreatography.

This is a test that uses a type of X-ray to diagnose, monitor and treat conditions.

This test is used to diagnose and treat problems with your biliary system. The biliary system includes your liver, gallbladder, biliary tree, pancreas, pancreatic ducts, and bile ducts. These organs and ducts produce, store, and transport a fluid called bile. This yellow-green fluid helps your body to digest fat.

During the procedure, we put a flexible tube called an endoscope with a camera on the end into your mouth. We then pass this tube down your food pipe (oesophagus). The tube goes into your stomach and the first part of your small intestine (duodenum).

A percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) is a surgery to place a feeding tube. Feeding tubes, or PEG tubes, allow you to receive nutrition through your stomach.

You may need a PEG tube if you have difficulty swallowing or can't get all the nutrition you need by mouth.

This endoscopic procedure a long, flexible instrument called an endoscope to make small incisions.

During percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy, your endoscopist will make a small incision in your upper abdomen, then place the tube through the incision, and connect the tube to your stomach.

You’ll be given intravenous (IV) anaesthesia and antibiotics. The anaesthesia ensures that you remain calm and numb during the procedure. The antibiotic prevents infection.

If you need a new PEG tube, your provider can easily replace the tube without invasive surgery or anaesthesia.

If you don’t need the tube anymore, your provider may remove the tube. The opening in your stomach closes on its own.

Oesophageal manometry (OM) is a procedure that measures how well the muscles of the food pipe (oesophagus) are working.

Oesophageal pH monitoring (OMPH) is a test that measures how often stomach acid enters the oesophagus. The test also measures how long the acid stays there.

If you are having an oesophageal manometry procedure, a thin, flexible tube which contains sensors is passed through the nose, along the back of the throat, down the oesophagus into the stomach. You will then be asked to complete if few simple instructions. After the test is finished the tube will be removed gently.

If you are having both procedures a thin, flexible tube which contains sensors is passed through the nose, along the back of the throat, down the oesophagus into the stomach. You will then be asked to complete if few simple instructions. After this the tube is pulled back into the oesophagus and a monitor attached to the tube measures the acid level (pH).

You will wear the monitor on a strap and record your symptoms and activities over the next 24 hours in a diary. You will return to the hospital the next day and the tube will be easily and gently removed. The information from the monitor will be compared with your diary notes.

 

Radiofrequency ablation, or RFA, is a minimally invasive technique that shrinks the size of tumours, nodules, or other growths in the body.

RFA is used to treat a range of conditions, including benign and malignant tumours, chronic venous insufficiency in the legs, as well as chronic back and neck pain.

During the procedure, your endoscopist will place the tip of a probe in the correct location to treat your symptoms. They will use an ultrasound or other imaging technique to locate exactly where to carry out the procedure.

Radiofrequency waves are sent out from the probe into the surrounding tissue, which causes the nearby cells to die. As these cells die, the immune system removes them, which causes an internal reaction and generally results in shrinkage of the nodule.

People at high risk of bowel cancer are invited to take part in the bowel cancer screening programme.

Screening aims to detect cancer at an early stage when treatment is more likely to work. It can also help to prevent bowel cancer from developing in the first place. 

Your endoscopist will use an endoscope to look inside the lower digestive tract (the large bowel and the small bowel) and check for any abnormalities. An endoscope is a thin, small, flexible tube with a camera and a light.

This procedure allows your endoscopist to diagnose, treat and monitor the lower digestive tract.

During this procedure an endoscopist will place a stent into the stomach or duodenum.

Stents are flexible hollow tubes usually made of a thin metal wire which is woven into a mesh and may be covered in a plastic membrane.

To place the stent the endoscopist will use a long, thin, flexible tube, with a bright light and a tiny camera at the end; this is called an endoscope. The endoscope is passed through the mouth, down the oesophagus and into the stomach and duodenum. The stent is passed through the hollow tube of the endoscope and placed in the correct location.

Once placed, it will stay permanently in your stomach or duodenum.

An endosign test involves a small capsule which is attached to a fine string being swallowed. After swallowing, the capsule coating (vegetarian gelatin) dissolves in the stomach to release a small brush which when removed allows cell collection from the lining of the oesophagus (gullet or food-pipe). These cells are then analysed for abnormalities.

An endosign test allows your doctor to investigate any symptoms and help you manage them.