Endoscopy in Sharjah
Medically reviewed by Dar Al Kamal Team
What is endoscopy?
Endoscopy is a way of examining the inside of the digestive tract using a slim, flexible tube called an endoscope, which carries a camera and a light at its tip. The pictures appear on a screen, so the doctor can see the lining directly rather than relying on a scan alone. A gastroscopy looks at the upper tract, meaning the gullet, the stomach and the first part of the small bowel. A colonoscopy looks at the lower tract, meaning the colon and the rectum.
At Dar Al Kamal Hospital in Sharjah, endoscopy is offered as a same-day test, usually with light sedation, and it can both find a problem and treat it during the same appointment.
Who needs it
Your doctor may recommend endoscopy if you have symptoms that need a direct look inside the digestive tract. For the upper tract these include indigestion that does not settle, difficulty or pain on swallowing, ongoing heartburn, or vomiting blood. For the lower tract they include a change in bowel habit, bleeding from the back passage, unexplained anaemia, or ongoing abdominal pain. Endoscopy is also used to screen for cancer and to keep an eye on known conditions over time.
The test is chosen when seeing the lining directly, or taking a sample from it, will change what happens next.
What happens
You are asked about your medicines and general health, and a small cannula is placed in the back of your hand for the sedation. For a gastroscopy you lie on your side, a mouth guard is fitted, and the endoscope is passed gently through the mouth into the gullet and stomach. For a colonoscopy you lie on your side and the endoscope is passed through the back passage into the colon, with a little air used to open the bowel for a clear view.
During either test the doctor can take small tissue samples, known as biopsies, and can remove polyps, which are small growths, using instruments passed down the endoscope. This is why endoscopy both diagnoses and treats at Dar Al Kamal Hospital in Sharjah. A straightforward diagnostic look takes a short time, and the sedation means most people remember little of it.
Preparing for it
Preparation depends on which test you are having. For a gastroscopy you fast for several hours beforehand, so the stomach is empty and the view is clear. For a colonoscopy you follow a bowel-cleansing preparation, which is a special drink and diet in the day or so before, so the colon is empty enough to examine. Tell the team about your medicines, especially blood thinners and diabetes treatment, and mention any allergies or the chance of pregnancy. Because sedation is used, arrange for someone to take you home and stay with you afterwards.
Afterwards
You rest in a recovery area until the sedation wears off. After a gastroscopy a mildly sore throat and some bloating are common and settle quickly. After a colonoscopy wind and cramping from the air used during the test are normal and pass within a few hours. If a biopsy was taken or a polyp removed, a small amount of bleeding can occur. You should not drive or make important decisions for the rest of the day.
Seek urgent care, or go to the emergency department, if you develop significant bleeding, severe or worsening abdominal pain, a hard swollen abdomen, or a fever after endoscopy. These signs are uncommon, but they need to be assessed promptly rather than waited out at home.
Risks and limitations
Endoscopy is generally safe and well tolerated, but no examination is perfect. Small or hidden lesions can be missed, and with a colonoscopy the quality of the bowel preparation affects how much can be seen, so a repeat test is sometimes advised. There is a small risk of bleeding or a tear in the wall of the tract, and this risk is a little higher when a polyp is removed. Sedation carries its own small risks, which the team reviews with you first. A normal endoscopy is reassuring, but your doctor reads it alongside your symptoms and any samples before drawing conclusions.
Cost and insurance
Endoscopy usually requires pre-approval from your insurer, particularly because sedation is involved, so starting that early helps avoid delay. The consultation, the procedure and any laboratory analysis of samples may be covered separately, and some plans limit certain diagnostic tests or exclude screening done without symptoms. Confirm your cover with our team at Dar Al Kamal Hospital in Sharjah on 06 599 7777 before the appointment.
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Frequently asked questions
Is endoscopy painful?
Endoscopy is usually uncomfortable rather than painful, because light sedation is given first to keep you relaxed, and most people remember little of a gastroscopy or colonoscopy afterwards.
What is the difference between a gastroscopy and a colonoscopy?
A gastroscopy examines the upper digestive tract, meaning the gullet, stomach and the first part of the small bowel, while a colonoscopy examines the lower tract, meaning the colon and rectum, so the two tests look at different parts of the digestive system.
Will I be asleep during the test?
Most people have light sedation rather than a full general anaesthetic for endoscopy, which keeps you drowsy and comfortable while you breathe on your own, and it means you should not drive or work for the rest of the day.
How do I prepare for a colonoscopy?
Preparing for a colonoscopy means following a bowel-cleansing preparation, a special drink and diet in the day or so beforehand, so the colon is empty enough to examine clearly, and you should also arrange a lift home because of the sedation.
Can endoscopy treat a problem, not just find one?
Endoscopy both diagnoses and treats, because the doctor can take tissue samples and remove polyps through the endoscope during the same test, which often means no separate operation is needed for those steps.
What can endoscopy not show?
Endoscopy shows the lining of the digestive tract in detail but cannot see through the wall or examine organs outside the tract, and small or hidden lesions can be missed, which is why results are read together with your symptoms and any imaging.
When should I call the hospital after endoscopy?
Call the hospital or attend the emergency department after endoscopy if you have significant bleeding, severe abdominal pain, a hard swollen abdomen, or a fever, as these uncommon signs need prompt assessment.
Does a normal endoscopy mean nothing is wrong?
A normal endoscopy is reassuring, but it does not rule out every cause of your symptoms, since some conditions lie outside the tract or need laboratory analysis of samples, so your doctor interprets the result alongside your history.
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