During these visits, many doctors will recommend you for a gastrointestinal examination, because it is an extremely important tool that can help us to see in depth the secrets of digestive tracts and to detect potential or existing health hazards in a timely manner.
I. What’s a gastrointestinal lens?
The gastrointestinal lens is a medical device used to examine internal conditions in the digestive tract. The stomach lens is used primarily to observe the internal conditions of the oesophagus, stomachs and troughs, which are inserted through the mouth, advancing slowly along the oesophagus, so that the mucous membrane state of these areas can be clearly presented, and there are no inflammations, ulcer, salivation or even tumors. The intestinal lens focuses on the examination of the rectum, colon and other large intestines, which enter through the anus and go back inside the intestinal tract, so that the doctor can look closely at the details of the intestinal mucous membranes and see if there are abnormalities such as haemorrhage, varnishing, swelling, etc.
ii. Why do gastrointestinal examination?
Many digestive tract diseases may show only subtle or non-symptomatic manifestations at an early stage. Gastrointestinal lenses can be detected with precision when the disease is embryonic, e.g., malignant tumours such as stomach and colon cancer. The early detection of these tumours is of extraordinary significance, when they are often confined to the mucous membrane or the lower membrane, and when they are treated with micro-intuitive treatments under the inner mirrors, such as mucous membrane removal (EMR) or detaching (ESD), it is possible for patients to obtain root treatment, significantly increase the healing and survival rates, and avoid the deterioration of the condition to a more complex stage of suffering requiring abdominal surgery, leaching, and so on. In addition, gastrointestinal lenses help to identify causes and develop targeted treatment programmes for groups with chronic indigestion, stomach pain, stomach swelling, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, constipation and constipation disorders. For some high-risk groups with family history of digestive tumours, regular gastrointestinal examination is an even more essential means of screening against cancer.
III. Preparation for gastrointestinal examination
1. Before a gastric lens examination, a diet of 6 – 8 hours and a water ban of more than 4 hours is usually required to ensure that the stomach is emptied and that a doctor is able to clearly observe the mucous membranes of the stomach. Doctors must be informed of their own past medical history, their drug allergies, etc. If anticondensing or anti-sculpable tablets are being taken, they may require a period of early stoppage under the supervision of a doctor to reduce the risk of haemorrhage during examination.
2. Pre-intestinal examination: relatively complex preparation. Before the examination, 1 – 2 days are required to eat half-stream diets such as porridge, noodles, etc., with a view to avoiding the consumption of high-fibre foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, etc. The laxative cleaning of the intestinal tract is required the day before the examination and a large amount of water is to be consumed at the prescribed dose and time to ensure that the intestinal faeces are completely emptied so that the intestinal mucous membranes can be clearly seen during the examination. Likewise, doctors are required to provide detailed information on their state of health and their use of medication.
IV. The gastrointestinal examination process
1. Stomach lenses: Patients usually take left-side bedrooms and bend their legs. Doctors slowly insert stomach glasses from the mouth, during which the patient may feel discomfort, vomiting, etc. (normal stomach glasses, painless stomach glasses completed in the context of anaesthesia, symptoms of discomfort), but usually bearable. Doctors carefully observe the oesophagus, stomach and 12-finger bowel at the front of the gastric propulsive lenses and, if necessary, perform a biopsy, i.e., a small tissue is removed for a pathological examination to determine the nature of the disease. The whole inspection process is normally 10-20 minutes or so.
2. Enteroscope examination: The patient usually takes a left-side bedroom and changes the position as necessary during the examination. There may be some swelling pain when the intestinal lens is inserted into the anus, and when the intestinal lens moves in the intestinal tract, the patient may feel abdominal traction or slight pain (normal intestinal lens, painless intestinal lens is completed under anaesthesia, so much discomfort). Doctors inflate the intestine through intestinal lenses, so that the intestine is fully expanded for observation. If a disease such as sabbatical meat is detected, it is possible to undergo treatment such as removal directly under the inner mirror. The normal intestinal examination is 20 – 30 minutes, and the period is extended if the treatment is provided, for example, in the form of salivation.
Today, there is also an option for pain-free gastrointestinal examination, which is performed in an anaesthesia without a clear sense of discomfort, but after which it takes time to awaken and observe.
V. Attention after gastrointestinal examination
1. After a stomach mirror examination: A fast of about two hours, after the anaesthesia of the throat has disappeared, a small amount of warm water can be tested before eating soft, digestive food without cough. (b) Avoiding intense physical activity on the day of the examination and observing the presence of abnormal conditions such as abdominal pain, vomiting of blood and black defecation, if not in a timely manner.
2. Following intestinal examination: If no treatment such as grafting is performed, then the food can be eaten after the examination. In the event of hysterectomy, etc., it may be necessary to fast for a period of time and to rest in the bed, observe abdominal pain and blood, as ordered by the doctor. At the same time, be careful to keep anal clean.
While gastrointestinal examination may cause some temporary discomfort, it plays an irreplaceable role in the diagnosis and treatment of digestive tract diseases. For those who meet the criteria of the examination, they should put aside their concerns and actively cooperate with the doctors in the examination of the gastrointestinal lenses in order to protect the health of their digestive tracts.
