Risks
An endoscopy is a very safe procedure. Rare complications include:
Bleeding. Your risk of bleeding complications after an endoscopy is increased if the procedure involves removing a piece of tissue for testing (biopsy) or treating a digestive system problem. In rare cases, such bleeding may require a blood transfusion.
Infection. Most endoscopies consist of an examination and biopsy, and risk of infection is low. The risk of infection increases when additional procedures are performed as part of your endoscopy. Most infections are minor and can be treated with antibiotics. Your doctor may give you preventive antibiotics before your procedure if you are at higher risk of infection.
Tearing of the gastrointestinal tract. A tear in your esophagus or another part of your upper digestive tract may require hospitalization, and sometimes surgery to repair it. The risk of this complication is very low — it occurs in an estimated 1 of every 2,500 to 11,000 diagnostic upper endoscopies. The risk increases if additional procedures, such as dilation to widen your esophagus, are performed.
You can reduce your risk of complications by carefully following your doctor's instructions for preparing for an endoscopy, such as fasting and stopping certain medications.
Signs and symptoms that could indicate a complication
Signs and symptoms to watch for after your endoscopy include:
Fever
Chest pain
Shortness of breath
Bloody, black or very dark colored stool
Difficulty swallowing
Severe or persistent abdominal pain
Vomiting, especially if your vomit is bloody or looks like coffee grounds
Call your doctor immediately or go to an emergency room if you experience any of these signs or symptoms.
How you prepare
Your doctor will give you specific instructions to prepare for your endoscopy. In some cases your doctor may ask that you:
Fast before the endoscopy. You will need to stop drinking and eating four to eight hours before your endoscopy to ensure your stomach is empty for the procedure.
Stop taking certain medications. You will need to stop taking certain blood-thinning medications in the days before your endoscopy. Blood thinners may increase your risk of bleeding if certain procedures are performed during the endoscopy. If you have chronic conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease or high blood pressure, your doctor will give you specific instructions regarding your medications.
We observed recordings of pictures obtained from patients with diseases of the larynx by using a new type of rhino-larynx electronic endoscope, PENTAXVNL-1530 connected to a video processor, PENTAX EPM-3300 (Asahi Optical Co., Ltd.). The electronic endoscope differs from the fiberoptic endoscope in that it contains a small light-sensitive charge coupled device (CCD) chip that is attached to the tip of the endoscope. This electronic endoscope has the smallest CCD camera of 5.1 mm in diameter, in the tip portion, and can be passed through the nasal passage into the laryngeal cavity. The dynamic image provided by this system is superior to that obtained by a flexible laryngofiberscope in resolution of the detail.The system with this electronic endoscope was introduced and some clinical cases were presented.