Gastroenterology and Hepatology

During the examination, the gastroenterologist focuses on examining the organs of the digestive tract, asks about digestive difficulties, abdominal pain and problems with stool, information about medications, surgeries and other diseases is important.

Specialized examinations include:

• Sonography (ultrasound) of the abdominal organs
• Stool examination (e.g. for blood)

Endoscopic examinations (camera examination) of the digestive tract:

• Esophagoscopy (examination of the esophagus)
• Gastroscopy (examination of the stomach)
• Enteroscopy (examination of the small intestine)
• Colonoscopy (examination of the large intestine)
• Rectoscopy (examination of the rectum)

A gastroenterologist can not only image the digestive tract, but also perform treatment procedures.

• During gastroscopy or colonoscopy, he can take tissue samples for examination and remove polyps (growths of the wall)

Examination of the stomach and duodenum using an optical instrument is called gastroscopy.

When is gastroscopy performed?

• Long-term digestive problems: stomach pain, heartburn, nausea
• Suspected stomach ulcers, inflammation (gastritis), polyps (growths of the mucous membrane)
• Helicobacter pylori infection
• Presence of digested blood in the stool (black stool), blood in vomit

Preparation for the examination:

• Before the examination itself, the patient must not eat or drink for 6-8 hours (stay hungry)
• The examination is performed while conscious. In some cases, sedation or general anesthesia is necessary

Examination procedure:

• During the examination itself, a soft, flexible tube with a camera (gastroscope) is inserted through the mouth into the upper part of the digestive tract. During the examination, the patient lies on his side
• During the examination, the gastroenterologist directly visualizes the gastric mucosa, can take samples for examination (biopsy)
• Small polyps can be removed

Colonoscopy is an examination in which the large intestine is examined using an optical instrument (a soft tube with a camera - a colonoscope).

When is a colonoscopy performed?

• Long-term abdominal pain, diarrhea and constipation
• Presence of blood in the stool, rectal bleeding
• Suspected colon cancer, polyps (growths of the intestinal mucosa)
• Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis
• Preventive examination after 50 years of age

Before the examination, bowel preparation is performed:

• Diet: 5 days before the examination, the patient must avoid foods that contain peel (grapes, corn, tomato, pepper) and seeds (melon, kiwi, sesame, poppy seeds, nuts). An easily digestible, low-residue food, a pureed or mixed diet is suitable.
• 1 day before the examination:
  • Eat one light pureed meal, then drink only liquids (light soup, fruit juices without pulp, teas, mineral water)
  • Laxative - the intestine must be cleansed of stool residues. Usually, a sachet dissolved in 1 liter of water is administered:
    • at 7:00 p.m. - 1st dose of laxative (+ drink another liter of water within the next hour)
    • at 9:00 p.m. - 2nd dose of laxative (+ drink another liter of water within the next hour)

Examination procedure:

• You need to stay on empty stomach in the morning (the medications are taken at 6:00 a.m. with 1 small glass of water - however, some medications must be discontinued. Therefore, inform your doctor about the medications you are taking)
• The colonoscope is inserted through the rectum and the colon is visualized. The examination lasts about 25 minutes
• Samples (biopsies) can be taken and intestinal polyps (growths) can be removed
• The examination is performed while you are conscious, but analgo-sedation can be administered (after which the patient must remain under observation)