Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy (gastroscopy)

What is it?

An upper digestive endoscopy (gastroscopy) lets the doctor look inside the oesophagus, the stomach and the start of the intestine with a flexible tube that has a camera. It is used to look for the cause of pain or digestive problems.

What to expect

The exam takes a few minutes; you are usually asked to fast beforehand, and local anaesthetic or sedation is often offered. The doctor then explains what was seen.