Starship Paediatric Gastroenterology and Hepatology

This test is relatively rarely performed in children, so the Paediatric gastroenterology team usually seek support from colleagues in Adult gastroenterology who are very experienced in doing this test. Your child will have a general anaesthetic (be completely asleep) for the procedure.  A flexible tube with a tiny video camera attached (endoscope) is inserted through the mouth into the stomach and small intestine.  A smaller tube is then moved through the first tube into the bile duct (the tube that connects your child's gallbladder to the intestines).  Dye is then injected through this tube and into the bile duct.  This dye shows up on x-ray, so x-rays are then taken to look at the duct.  This procedure also enables dilatation (stretching) of narrowed ducts, placement of stents (tubes to keep narrowed ducts open) or removal of gallstones from the ducts without the need for surgery.