The first steps in the diagnosis of stomach cancer, including a blood test, ultrasound and x-ray, have been passed, and if they clearly indicate the presence of oncology, then it is necessary to conduct a chemical examination of tissue samples of the affected organs, and for this, these tissue samples must be taken. To do this, the procedure is used fibrogastroduodenoscopy, or abbreviated FGDS.This method will be discussed below.
Fibrogastroduodenoscopy is the main method of deep diagnosis of gastric cancer worldwide. Of course, this procedure is not so simple as ultrasound or X-ray, and there is no need to talk about the comfort of the patient in this case, however, there is no other way of obtaining a sample of internal tissues. However, modern FGDS devices can boast of a lack of discomfort for the patient when examining them.
FGDS is performed in stomach cancer using a special apparatus - an endoscope, which is a long, thin tube with a light and an objective at the end. This tube is carefully inserted by the doctor into the esophagus to the patient through the mouth until it is in the stomach. The end of the tube is very flexible, which makes it possible to examine even hard-to-reach areas of the organ. If desired, you can conduct a biopsy, that is, using a special probe, take a sample of organ tissue and extract it for further analysis for the presence of cancer.
With the help of FGDS it is possible to examine not only the stomach, but also the esophagus, as well as the initial parts of the duodenum. In addition to the survey function, this procedure is used for other purposes:
- removal of obstructions in the form of growths and polyps in the esophagus, stomach or duodenum;
- localized delivery of drugs directly to the affected area;
- elimination of intestinal bleeding by tamponizing and clamping.
EGF with gastric cancer is usually carried out in the morning, and always - on an empty stomach. In general, it is not recommended to eat food on the eve of the examination after seven in the evening. During the procedure, the patient is in the supine position on the left side. To reduce the unpleasant sensation in the throat when the tube is inserted, it is treated with a spray containing lidocaine or another drug of this series if the patient does not have an allergy to these drugs.
After the introduction of the endoscope tube, the doctor can observe the image on the monitor, and in modern models, and increase its scale. For the convenience of inspection of the organ in the tube, a small amount of air is supplied, which allows straightening the folds and cavities of the organ under examination. The total time of the GVHD procedure is from 5 minutes at the base examination, and up to 20 minutes when manipulating the treatment or removal of polyps.