If you are dealing with persistent digestive issues, be it frequent heartburn, nagging stomach pain, or difficulty swallowing, you need a clear diagnosis without a long wait. Endoscopy is the quickest and most effective way for specialists to look inside your digestive tract, giving you the definitive answers needed to start treatment.
Why you might need an endoscopy
Endoscopy uses a thin, flexible tube (an endoscope) with a light and camera to examine the lining of your gut. Depending on your symptoms, the consultant will recommend a gastroscopy to examine the oesophagus, stomach, and small intestine, or a colonoscopy to examine the large bowel.
An endoscopy is necessary for two main reasons:
- Investigation: It is the primary tool for diagnosing the cause of chronic symptoms like acid reflux (GORD), swallowing difficulties, nausea or unexplained bleeding. It helps identify issues such as ulcers, inflammation, coeliac disease and potential issues like Barrett’s oesophagus. Early diagnosis is essential for long-term management.
- Prevention and treatment: The procedure allows your consultant to find and remove small growths (polyps) which can become cancerous. This is a powerful, preventative intervention. Endoscopy can also be used therapeutically to treat existing issues, such as stopping internal bleeding, treating strictures, or banding haemorrhoids.
The endoscopy procedure
The idea of having an internal procedure can cause apprehension, but the process is routine, swift, and performed safely as an outpatient. Patient comfort is always the priority.
Here is a simple breakdown of what to expect on the day of your appointment:
- Preparation and consultation: Before the procedure, Dr Hussenbux and the endoscopy team will discuss the procedure with you, review your symptoms, and answer all your questions. You will need to fast for several hours beforehand to ensure your stomach is clear, which is vital for an accurate examination.
- Comfort and sedation: You will be settled comfortably in the treatment room. You are given gentle sedation, administered through a small cannula, and sometimes a local anaesthetic to numb your throat. This ensures you are relaxed and comfortable throughout the examination.
- Examination: The consultant guides the endoscope gently through your mouth. The high definition camera sends clear, live images to a screen for detailed inspection of your digestive lining. The procedure usually takes less than fifteen minutes.
- Action: If necessary, tiny tissue samples (biopsies) are taken for laboratory testing, or minor treatments are performed, such as removing a polyp. This is entirely painless.
- Recovery and results: After the examination, you rest briefly in the recovery room while the sedation wears off. Dr Hussenbux will often provide preliminary results immediately, giving you swift clarity. A full report and discussion of the next steps will follow. You must arrange for someone to drive you home, as you cannot drive yourself after sedation.
Dr Hussenbux – your specialist for advanced endoscopy
Dr Arif Hussenbux is a highly experienced Consultant Gastroenterologist and Interventional Endoscopist providing specialist private endoscopy near Buckinghamshire.
He excels in interventional endoscopy, which includes complex, advanced procedures such as Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS) and Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). This comprehensive skillset means Dr Hussenbux can offer the full spectrum of diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopic care, enabling streamlined treatment for a wide variety of digestive conditions. He ensures every patient receives detailed, unhurried consultation time, providing peace of mind alongside clinical excellence.
Dr Hussenbux consults and performs endoscopies at convenient private locations in the Buckinghamshire area:
- Spire Hospital – Thames Valley
- Chiltern Hospital – Circle Group
- The Royal Buckinghamshire Hospital
Book your private endoscopy near Buckinghamshire with Dr Hussenbux
Do not postpone concerns about your digestive health. Contact us today to book your private consultation and benefit from prompt, expert diagnostic care with Dr Hussenbux.