We perform a number of gastroenterology procedures to diagnose, prevent or treat conditions affecting your digestive system.
Some procedures require preparation on your part so that your doctor has an unobstructed view.
Colonoscopy
Colonoscopy is a procedure to examine your entire large bowel (colon) including your large intestine and rectum. It may be performed because you have:
- Symptoms such as bleeding or unexplained low iron levels
- Received a positive bowel cancer screening test
- Have had polyps detected on previous colonoscopies.
What happens during a colonoscopy?
A colonoscope is a thin, flexible tube with a camera and light on the end. While you’re sedated, your doctor passes the colonoscope through your anus and gently moves it around to see the full length of your large bowel. Your doctor is looking for any changes to your bowel lining.
If polyps are seen, they can be removed during colonoscopy.
Colonoscopy preparation
Your bowel needs to be completely empty before a colonoscopy so that your doctor can clearly see its entire length.
You’ll be given detailed instructions on how to prepare for your colonoscopy but it will usually involve:
- Adjusting some medications as advised by your doctor
- Taking a laxative 24 hours before your procedure. This will mean frequent trips to the toilet so patients often take the day off work or work from home
- Stopping smoking, eating and drinking after a certain time as advised by your doctor.
Gastroscopy
A gastroscopy (upper endoscopy) enables your doctor to carefully examine the lining of your oesophagus, stomach and small bowel using a thin flexible instrument with a camera and light on the end (a gastroscope).
Under sedation, the gastroscope is gently passed through your mouth, down your throat and into your stomach. Botulinum Toxin can also be used to relax the muscles to make swallowing easier.
The camera collects images that your specialist looks at on a monitor during the procedure.
A gastroscopy can detect ulcers, small lesions, reflux, coeliac disease and infections caused by bacteria and parasites. It also screens for stomach cancer and oesophageal varices which sometimes require banding. Biopsies are often taken. The results of your gastroscopy can help your doctor find the cause of digestive difficulties such as vomiting, bleeding or reflux.
Gastroscopy preparation is relatively straightforward. It simply involves fasting for a certain time before your procedure so that your doctor has a clear view of your upper digestive tract.
Capsule endoscopy (pill cam)
The ‘pill cam’ is a miniature camera that you swallow. It’s about the same size as a vitamin pill but it can take about 50,000 pictures of your digestive tract as it passes through. It sends these images to a small receiver that you wear around your waist.
After about 8 hours, the images are collected and downloaded to your doctor’s computer. The pill cam eventually passes through your body and is flushed down the toilet.
The pill cam can identify unexplained bleeding, polyps, ulcers, tumours, parasites, angiodysplasis or signs of Crohn’s disease. This means a management plan can be created to address the issues identified.
To get the best images, your digestive tract needs to be empty. Patients generally follow the same preparation as for colonoscopy – laxatives and fasting.
Helicobacter pylori breath testing
This is a convenient and informative test for Helicobacter pylori, a spiral-shaped bacterium that may infect your digestive tract and, over time, cause ulcers and even gastric and bowel cancer. The test is done in our rooms and only takes approximately 10 minutes for most patients.
If you’re infected with H. pylori the test will detect carbon dioxide in your breath from a chemical reaction taking place in your stomach. There’s no need to prepare for Helicobacter pylori breath testing.
If you are infected, we can prescribe antibiotics and acid-suppressing therapies to kill the bacteria and prevent ulcers from recurring. Patients with persistent infection may require further treatments.
Helicobacter pylori breath testing preparation
- Fast for 4 hours
- Stay off proton pump inhibitors like somac and nexium and antibiotics for 4-6 weeks as advised by the practice.
We will provide you with more information on this before your procedure.
We will arrange another appointment with you if the test is positive.
There is a medicare rebate for this test if you have a referral.
