Is endoscopy absolutely necessary before obesity surgery?
Obesity Surgery; In stomach reduction surgeries (tube stomach) and in surgeries that disrupt absorption such as stomach by-pass, detailed examinations are performed before the surgery. Among these examinations, endoscopy naturally frightens a significant number of patients.
Endoscopy; It is a word of Latin origin and its Turkish equivalent is to look inside. Gastroscopy means looking inside the stomach. The procedure is performed by sending a fiberobtic instrument with a diameter of about 1 cm from the esophagus to the stomach and viewing the images on a monitor.
Approximately 8 hours of fasting is required before the procedure. So why is this procedure performed before surgery? In gastric reduction surgery (tube stomach-sleeve gastrectomy), approximately three quarters of the stomach is cut and removed. After the procedure, a cutting line of approximately 30-35 cm is formed.
We can only see this cutting line from outside during surgery. Since the entry of a possible ulcer or polyp in the stomach into this line will threaten the safety of the surgery, it is important to see and treat these lesions beforehand.
Another reason is; It is the evaluation of the esophagus in patients who will have tube stomach surgery and have reflux complaints. Depending on the severity of the damage caused by reflux in the lower end of the esophagus, the surgical procedure can be changed and gastric bypass may be preferred.
Finally, there may be a tumor in the stomach, albeit with a low probability, and the treatment strategy may change completely. So is the endoscopy procedure a very fearful procedure? In most hospitals, endoscopies are now performed under anesthesia under the guidance of an anesthesiologist.
Although it is a superficial anesthesia, it is very comfortable for the patients and the doctor. Most patients do not even remember the procedure. In summary; Before gastric reduction and by-pass surgeries, endoscopy is a necessary procedure and can be performed comfortably in safe hands.
Assoc. Dr. Toygar TOYDEMİR
General Surgery / Obesity and Metabolic surgeon