Enteroscopy in Denver, CO

Before your enteroscopy, you will receive directions from your Denver Digestive Health Specialists gastroenterologist regarding the necessary preparation. A large number of individuals will most likely be cleared to eat like normal on the day leading up to the enteroscopy. You will be required not to take anything by mouth after 12:00 a.m. apart from medications. It is important to adhere to the directive provided by your doctor. There will also be further instructions regarding your medications. In many instances, your medications can continue as usual. However, specific guidelines will be administered in some cases, particularly in those on blood thinners and in people with diabetes.

We will ask you to enter the endoscopy center 1 to 1.5 hours before your enteroscopy procedure. This ensures you're able to fill out patient forms and prepare. You will be asked to switch into a medical gown. An IV catheter will be started in your arm so that sedation can be administered. We will connect you to a system that will let us keep track of your blood pressure, heart rate, pulse, breathing, oxygen levels, and more while you're in our care.

Once settled in your exam room, we'll have you lie on your left side on our procedure bed. The IV sedation will be started. We will give you small amounts at a time to make sure that you do not react to the sedation and to give you just the amount you need. After the correct amount of sedation is achieved, the endoscope will be carefully inserted into your mouth. We will carefully advance the scope through the esophagus, stomach, and small intestine. A little bit of air is injected through the scope into your GI tract to help your physician see. Any remaining fluid in the upper gastrointestinal tract is suctioned out through the scope. Based on the findings of your exam, several things can be performed at the time of the procedure, like the removal of polyps, biopsies, and control of bleeding. Once we're done, air and the remaining fluid are removed through the scope. Depending on the findings, the procedure often takes somewhere between 15 – 45 minutes.

Once the exam is done, the patient is taken to a separate recovery room to be monitored while the sedation wears off. The amount of IV sedation given during your enteroscopy and your particular response to the sedation will determine how fast you come to, though most patients are awake enough for discharge after about 45 – 60 minutes. You cannot drive for the remainder of the day, so you will need to have arrangements made for someone to take you home. You will also be instructed not to work, sign important papers, or do strenuous activities for the remaining day. Most patients are fine to eat and drink as they normally would after being released from the endoscopy unit; however, guidelines regarding activity and exercise, medications, and eating will be provided before discharge.

After the enteroscopy exam, your Denver Digestive Health Specialists team will go over the results of your procedure with you. Many individuals have difficulty remembering what they are told after the exam because of the effects of the sedation. It is recommended, if you're able, to bring someone with you who can lend a second pair of ears. You will also go home with a report. You will be given any biopsy results within about one week.