The human digestive system actually begins in the mouth and ends with the anus. Food has to be processed in the human body so that nutrients can be absorbed and used in the individual’s body. This process of absorption begins with the mastication of food in the mouth. Chewed food then passes through the throat into the esophagus. The esophagus is a tube that feeds food into the stomach. In the stomach, food is processed using acids and enzymes. The processed food then passes into the small intestine or the duodenum. From here, food passes to the large intestine and then finally to the rectum where unused food awaits disposal.
An endoscopy procedure is one where a doctor literally ‘looks inside’. This is a test that uses a special tube like scope which is inserted into the body using one of the body orifices. Once inserted, the tube is moved around the area of the body where a problem is suspected. Live images are transmitted to a computer screen on which they can be analyzed.
The term esophagogastroduodenoscopy may seem like a confusing one. It is, simply put an endoscopy procedure of the esophagus, the stomach and the duodenum. These are the top three parts of the digestive system after food has passed the throat. A number of different medical conditions may occur in these areas of the body. The patient may display symptoms of the problems but these do not necessarily help with the diagnosis of the condition. Therefore, an esophagogastroduodenoscopy procedure needs to be done to establish the state of the digestive system. The esophagogastroduodenoscopy test is done in a clinic or hospital. The doctor will use an anesthetic for the throat to ensure that gagging does not take place. An individual would need to fast for at least 8 hours before an esophagogastroduodenoscopy test. This is done to ensure that these parts of the digestive system are empty before the test is conducted. The esophagogastroduodenoscopy results are essentially based on the judgment of the doctor. Any abnormality noted in the test will be analyzed later when recordings of the procedure are done. Some abnormalities are obvious while others may be less easy to pinpoint. Various other doubts like the esophagogastroduodenoscopy cost as also the esophagogastroduodenoscopy CPT cost could be discussed with the doctor. Read more on ERCP test as well.
The esophagogastroduodenoscopy test is also abbreviated as the EGD test. The esophagogastroduodenoscopy recovery period is fairly short, usually lasting as long as the anesthetic lasts. The patient may experience some discomfort while swallowing after the test for a few days.