Endoscopy Services

A gastroscopy is a test to check inside your throat, food pipe (oesophagus) and stomach, known as the upper part of your digestive system.

This test can help find what's causing your symptoms.

A long, thin, flexible tube with a small camera inside it is passed into your mouth then down your throat and into your stomach.

A gastroscopy can also be used to remove tissue for testing (biopsy) and treat some conditions such as stomach ulcers.

A flexible sigmoidoscopy examines the first part of your colon (bowel). The flexible endoscope is passed through the anus (your bottom) around the first part of the bowel. The process takes around 20 minutes. Before the procedure, you will be asked to take some laxatives or have an enema (a tube of liquid medicine which is squeezed into your anus to clean the bowel).

A colonoscopy is a test to check inside your bowels. This test can help find what's causing your bowel symptoms. A long, thin, flexible tube with a small camera inside it is passed into your bottom. You'll be given a laxative so your bowels are empty for the test.

It is often performed to examine symptoms of change of bowel habit or bleeding. You may be referred by your hospital consultant or as part of the national bowel cancer screening programme.

ERCP stands for endoscopic retrograde cholangio pancreatography. This test uses a type of X-ray. It's often used to find and diagnose gallstones.

An EBUS is a procedure which allows the Doctor to view the airways inside your lungs. A small flexible camera fitted with ultrasound is carefully passed through your mouth into your lung. The Doctor will use an ultrasound scanner to look at the glands (lymph nodes) in the area and may take samples using a needle. Most patients have an injection called “conscious sedation” which aims to relax them and make them drowsy. Local anaesthetic is used topically to make the procedure more comfortable.

Patients who have a FIT score between 10-100 ug/gm, are under 80 and are mobile may be offered CCE as an alternative to endoscopy and will then have the choice to take part in the trial or have a traditional endoscopy. 

The colon capsule (pillcam) is an easy-to-swallow pill with two cameras inside. As the capsule passes through the intestines, it will transmit visual images of the lining of the large bowel a recorder worn around the waste, and provide clear images to help detect pathology within the bowel. It will provide some images of the stomach and a complete assessment of the small and large bowel. It does not require sedation or a stay in hospital. Patients will still need to take laxatives to clean out the bowel before these procedures. 

Patients who have a negative CCE result can be discharged from the 2WW pathway. However, some patients may require further clinical follow-up which may take place in either primary or secondary care, as determined by the consultant specialist.