surgery
Endoscopic surgery
The endoscopy unit of Nadezhda is located on level -1 and is furnished with the latest generation equipment for performing diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopic procedures. The procedures are performed by Ivan Tsvetanski, M.D., – a specialist with many years of experience in endoscopic surgery.
Endoscopy is a standard technique for evaluation of the upper part of the gastrointestinal tract (esophagus, stomach, duodenum) or of the lower part of the digestive system (rectum, colon, terminal segment of the small intestine), so they are also called upper endoscopy (fibrogastroscopy) and lower endoscopy (fibrocolonoscopy).
When is endoscopy recommended?
Endoscopic procedures are an indispensable element of the diagnostic clarification of a number of intra-abdominal diseases (especially oncologic and inflammatory). Your attending physician – gastroenterologist or surgeon – will assess whether you have indications for such an examination.
The most frequent reasons for performing a colonoscopy are:
- Age over 50.
- Interference with or change in large intestinal passage.
- Other complaints – pain, bloating, bleeding
The most frequent reasons for performing a gastroscopy are:
- Heartburn
- Bleeding
- Other complaints – pain, bloating, nausea and/or vomiting
About the procedure
In order to fix a date for the procedure, it is necessary to undergo a primary examination in consulting room No. 12 with a surgeon of Nadezhda Hospital, booking an appointment through the call center of the hospital or on site at the Registry Office sector. During the primary examination, the surgeon will take the medical history, look in detail at the documentation presented by you, and will inform you about the endoscopic examination you are about to undergo, and shall also explain the benefits and risks associated with it. As part of this examination, the possibility of a planned admission to the Department may be discussed, and a date for the intervention may be fixed. If you are taking any medication that affects blood clotting, be sure to let the surgeon know during the primary examination. If necessary, any such medications will be discontinued a few days before the endoscopy. You should report allergies, if any, as well as any other comorbidities, providing the necessary medical documentation – test results, clinical reports.
If you have an endoscopic examination pending, the surgeon will give you instructions and directions on how to prepare before the procedure during the initial examination, and will inform you of the time and date you have to be admitted to the hospital. The endoscopy is performed on the day of the actual admission, and normally the duration of hospital stay is just one day, therefore overnight stay at the hospital is not required.
IMPORTANT! The endoscopy consulting room at Nadezhda does not work with NHIF – this is a fully paid service, and the amount is covered by the patient in full. The cost of procedures is set in the official price list of the hospital.
During the primary examination with the surgeon, you will receive instructions and directions on how to prepare for the endoscopy – what preparation to buy from the pharmacy, how to administer it in the day prior to the study, and the diet you need to follow (when to stop the intake of food).
Endoscopies are performed under general intravenous anaesthesia and you will experience no discomfort or pain during the procedure. After the end of the procedure, you will remain under observation in the Surgery Department until your full recovery – waking, moving, urinating, feeding. In the absence of any complaints on your part and at the discretion of the treating team, you may go home a few hours after the endoscopy.
Patients usually report no pain or other serious discomfort after the endoscopic examination. With lower endoscopies, you may sometimes experience slight distention of the colon, as gas is applied during the examination to open the bowel and examine it in detail. However, this sensation passes quickly, and is not a cause for concern.
If you have bleeding or any other complaints, inform the Surgery Department team promptly. In this case you may need to stay in hospital overnight to be under active observation. If your complaints have resolved in the morning and the attending team has ensured that your condition is stable, you may go home.
A sick note will be issued, if you need it. Information about this will be available from the Surgery Department team.
If a histology result is not required, you will receive your clinical report in duplicate at the Surgery Department on the day of discharge. If a histology result is not required, you will receive your discharge summary in duplicate at the Surgery Department on the day of discharge. On a workday, the discharge summaries are available between 10:00 and 14:00 o’clock at office 12, after making an appointment by calling 0882193970. On non-working days getting a discharge summary shall take place in the Department between 10:00 and 14:00.
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