A diagnostic gastroscopy is a general term to describe a diagnosis that is made inside the upper gastrointestinal tract using a piece of equipment called an endoscope.
Diagnostic gastroscopy is also known as diagnostics endoscopy of the stomach and oesophagogastroduodenoscopy (OGD).
The gastrointestinal tract
The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is the medical term for the digestive system. The upper GI tract consists of:
- the mouth
- the oesophagus (also known as the gullet) – the tube that runs from the mouth, down the throat and into the stomach
- the stomach
- the duodenum – the first section of the small intestine
What is an endoscope?
An endoscope is a thin, flexible tube that is about the width of your little finger. The endoscope has a light and a camera on one end. The camera is used to relay images of the inside of your body to a television monitor.
A diagnostic gastroscopy is often used to investigate symptoms of the upper GI tract, such as:
- difficulties and/or pain when swallowing (dysphagia)
- persistent abdominal pain
How common are diagnostic gastroscopies?
A diagnostic gastroscopy is a very common procedure. For example, the NHS performs an average of 320,000 diagnostic gastroscopies in England each year.
Complications
A diagnostic gastroscopy is usually a very safe procedure. Serious complications are rare, occurring in about one in every 1,000 cases.
Possible complications of a diagnostic gastroscopy include:
- infection
- bleeding
- perforation of the GI tract
