Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) in Lubbock, TX

You will get pre-op instructions from your gastrointestinal provider in preparation for your EGD. Many of our patients are allowed to eat normally before the EGD. We may ask you not to eat or drink after midnight, except for necessary medications. It is incredibly important that you follow the directions given to you by our Lubbock Digestive Disease Associates team. We’ll also give you extra instructions regarding any medications you take. In most cases, you don’t need to make any changes to your medication regimen. This may not be true of all medications, particularly with blood thinners (i.e., aspirin, warfarin, Coumadin®, Plavix®, anti-inflammatories) or if you are diabetic. If this pertains to you, your provider will give you specific instructions.

You will be asked to arrive at one of our Lubbock, TX locations at least an hour before your procedure. You will need to change into a medical gown. An intravenous (IV) catheter will be started in your arm or another area so we can begin the sedation process. We’ll have you connected to special equipment that allows your GI specialist to keep track of your heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen levels, and much more during and after your EGD.

After settling into one of our comfortable exam rooms, we’ll have you lay on your left side on our exam table. Intravenous (IV) sedation will be started. Once you are sedated, the endoscope will be inserted into your mouth. The endoscope will be gently moved through the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum. A small amount of air will be injected through the scope into the GI tract will help us see better. Any fluid left over in the upper gastrointestinal tract will be suctioned out through the endoscope. Depending on the findings of the exam, a variety of things can be done, such as the removal of polyps, biopsies, and controlling bleeding. The exam typically takes between 10 – 20 minutes. Following the exam, you will be taken to one of our comfortable recovery rooms to be monitored as the sedation starts to wear off.

After the exam, your specialist will review the findings of the procedure with you. A number of our patients won’t remember this conversation following their exam because they have a foggy brain due to the sedation. It is recommended you bring a family member with you with whom the results can also be discussed. We will provide you with a typed review of what we discussed. In most situations, we’ll provide you with biopsy results within a week.

Typically, an EGD is a safe and reliable procedure. Overall, complications occur in less than 1% of cases. Many of these problems are non-life-threatening; although if an issue arises, it might result in hospitalization and surgery. Before the exam, a consent form will be reviewed with you by our team. Should you have any questions or concerns, these can be discussed with your GI specialist before your EGD.

Like other tests, an esophagogastroduodenoscopy is not foolproof. You can expect that there is a small, accepted risk that abnormalities, such as cancers, might be undiscovered at the time of the esophagogastroduodenoscopy. It is crucial to maintain visits with our GI specialist and keep them aware of any recent or incessant issues.

To an extent, the alternatives to the EGD will revolve around the reasons the EGD is needed in the first place. Typically, an esophagogastroduodenoscopy is the most efficient way to evaluate and diagnose any suspicious findings in your upper GI tract. Although, an x-ray called an upper GI/barium swallow can evaluate your upper GI tract as well. This is, however, just a diagnostic analysis. The treatment of any findings might require an esophagogastroduodenoscopy or surgery.