Obesity is an important risk factor for various digestive system diseases such as gastroesophageal reflux disease, erosive esophagitis, hiatal hernia (HH), Barrett’s esophagus, esophageal adenocarcinoma, Helicobacter pylori infection. Most of these diseases are seen 2-3 times more frequently in obese patients compared to normal weight individuals.
Published guidelines of the European Society for Endoscopic Surgery state that esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGDS) is recommended for all obesity surgical procedures and it is highly recommended for R&Y gastric bypass patients.
Endoscopy is the internal imaging of the digestive system with the help of a flexible instrument with a camera and light at the tip. Endoscopy is a method used both in diagnosis and treatment. During the process, the esophagus, stomach and duodenum are examined. The information provided after the endoscopic examination can be used to cancel the surgery (although rare, tumor may be encountered), postpone (if an ulcer is detected, the surgery should be treated first, then the surgery should be planned) or the surgical technique (for example, inflammation in the lower end of the esophagus, gastric hernia or reflux of gall to the stomach).
Endoscopy can be implemented in the evaluation of the patient’s complaints after bariatric surgery, in the management of postoperative complications and in the evaluation of weight loss failure. Complaints such as nausea, vomiting and stomachache should be evaluated endoscopically, especially in the first 6 months after surgery, as they may be associated with the surgical process. After surgery period, complications such as bleeding, anastomotic leakage or stenosis are also used in the endoscopy process.
Intragastric balloon treatments, intragastric botulinum toxin A application and Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (reduction of stomach volume by endoscopic sutures placed on the stomach wall) are also performed with the assistance of endoscopy.
Endoscopy can be performed safely by an experienced General Surgeon or a Gastroenterology specialist.
Endoscopy is performed under sedation or under general anesthesia with the assistance of short-acting anesthetic drugs. The patient does not feel any pain and does not feel the process performed under general anesthesia. The process time changes according to the person who is performing it but it takes 5 minutes in average.
