Private Bag 92 024
Auckland Mail Centre
Auckland 1142
This is a camera test which allows the doctor to see inside the oesophagus, stomach, and the first part of the small intestine (duodenum).
Your child will have a general anaesthetic (be completely asleep) for the procedure. The gastroscope is a flexible plastic-coated tube about the width of a ballpoint pen which has a tiny camera attached that sends images to a viewing screen. It is passed down through your child's mouth into the oesophagus (food pipe), then onwards into the stomach and duodenum (first part of small intestine). During the gastroscopy, the doctor may take a biopsy (a small piece of tissue) to send to the laboratory for testing. This is not a painful procedure. The gastroscopy will be performed as a day case procedure so you child will go home the same day. It takes around 20 minutes but your child will be away from you for around 1 hour to allow them to recover from the anaesthetic.
You will be sent instructions as your child will need to fast for several hours before the endoscopy.
https://www.healthpoint.co.nz/public/gastroenterology-hepatology-liver/starship-paediatric-gastroenterology-and/