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Endoscopic ultrasounds, also known as EUS, utilize a thin, lighted flexible tube with an ultrasound transducer at its tip to capture images of the digestive tract. The procedure is minimally invasive, allowing our professionals to examine organs without making surgical incisions.
EUS can be used to diagnose digestive tract diseases and conditions such as:
The procedure may also be used to identify potential complications from chronic illnesses or to guide other treatments such as biopsies.
You will be asked to lie on your left side and relax during the procedure. To reduce discomfort, you will receive sedatives intravenously before the EUS procedure. Once you're in position and properly medicated, the provider will pass the ultrasound endoscope through your mouth, esophagus, and stomach into the duodenum. The instrument does not interfere with your ability to breathe. Most patients consider it only slightly uncomfortable, and many fall asleep during it.
The procedure typically takes about 30 minutes but may take longer depending on what is being examined. After the procedure is completed, you will be monitored until your vital signs return to normal and then released.
Before the procedure, your gastroenterologist at Concord will provide you with instructions on how to prepare. You may be advised to fast for a specified period, usually about 6 hours or more before the procedure, and refrain from taking certain medications that could interfere with the process.
To ensure your safety, you must plan for a ride home after EUS as it will involve sedation, and driving is not recommended for the rest of the day.
View complete EUS prep instructions.
Yes, your stomach will need to be empty to allow your doctor to visualize your digestive tract during capsule endoscopy.
