What To Expect

After your pre-procedure assessment, you will be taken to a pre-procedure area where you will have an IV started and speak with the anesthesiologist. You will then be transported by stretcher into the procedure room. We will place you on equipment that monitors your heartbeat, oxygenation levels, and blood pressure and give you nasal oxygen. We then will administer the sedatives into your intravenous line, and you will likely remember little else until you wake up. You should undergo your procedure in a pleasant, deep sedation state in which you feel little pain and remember little of the test itself.

After your test, you may have a dry mouth or feel drowsy, bloated, or hungry. The dry mouth and drowsiness are from the sedation and will gradually wear off. The bloating results from the air that is inflated into the digestive tract during the procedure. This helps your doctor perform a thorough exam. Even though we try to remove most of the air after the procedure, some of it will have to pass naturally.

Unlike radiology tests, the results of an endoscopic procedure are generally immediate (however, biopsy results still take several days). After you awaken from your sedation, your doctor may be available to discuss the results of the test with you (and/or your family; if needed). We will also give you a written explanation of what was found and what treatment, if any, is needed. You will also have an opportunity to ask questions. The average time in our recovery room is about 30 minutes. If you have undergone a procedure with sedation, you must recover in the endoscopy unit until your ride arrives. Again, because of the lingering effects of the sedation, you will require direct observation and monitoring by our nursing staff until someone can safely escort you home.

Your ride does not need to wait for you while the procedure is being done however they must be able to be reached to inform them of the appropriate pick-up time. As long as they are continuously available by phone, they do not need to wait in the endoscopy unit.

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