Endoscopy

Helping diagnose health conditions that affect the upper and lower GI tract

The King Edward VII’s Hospital Endoscopy Unit is a state-of-the-art, purpose built facility allowing our specialist gastroenterologists, colorectal surgeons and urologists to diagnose health conditions affecting the upper and lower gastro-intestinal tract, bladder, ureters and urethra as well as the male sexual organs.

If you are suffering symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, indigestion, acid reflux, diarrhoea or change in your bowel habits, difficulty swallowing, vomiting repeatedly or vomiting blood, blood in faeces, rectal pain, cramping, constipation or weight loss, blood in your urine, or changes in your urinary pattern, you may consider an endoscopy to help provide a diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

What is Endoscopy?

Endoscopy is a procedure used to examine any part of the interior of the body through a long, thin, flexible tube, about the thickness of your index finger (colonoscopy) or your little finger (gastroscopy), with a bright light and camera at its tip. The endoscope is inserted through a natural opening, such as the mouth or anus to explore parts of the digestive system including the colon and stomach. The London endoscopy specialist gets a clear view and can check whether any disease is present.

During the procedure patients may require a small amount of sedation and painkillers, the options available will be clearly explained by the consultant and nursing staff and tailored to ensure individualised patient care.

At King Edward VII’s Hospital, all endoscopies are performed by specially trained physicians or surgeons. Our specialist surgeons offer a number of forms of endoscopic investigation, including:

Upper GI endoscopy (gastroscopy), Colonoscopy, Flexible sigmoidoscopy

Conditions treated include:

• Anaemia • Coeliac disease • Crohn’s disease • Gallstones • Irritable Bowel Syndrome • Removal of growths (polyps) • Ulcerative colitis • Ulcers • Barrett’s Oesophagus • Stomach cancer – early and advanced • Oesophageal cancer • Gastro-intestinal stroma tumours of the upper intestinal tract • Gasto-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) • Hiatus hernias • Achalasia • Gastroparesis • Colon cancer