Gastroscopy: anesthesia

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The gastroscopy under anesthesia is an exception - a sedative and local anesthesia of the throat are usually sufficient for the procedure. Nevertheless, some patients want general anesthesia for fear of a gastroscopy. You can find out here how this works and what the differences to local anesthesia and sedation are.

Gastroscopy under local anesthesia

If the gastroscopy is performed without anesthesia, you will usually be given calming medication a few hours before the examination. With the help of a special spray, the throat is then lightly anesthetized shortly before the gastroscopy so that no gag reflex is triggered when the tube is inserted. As a rule, there is no need for anesthesia more than local anesthesia during gastroscopy, as the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract is less sensitive to pain. The gastroscopy therefore does not cause any pain.

By not using general anesthesia, the circulation is less stressed and consciousness and responsiveness are only slightly influenced by the sedative. This means that you can return home sooner after the gastroscopy.

Gastroscopy under sedation

Many people are still afraid of the gastroscopy. If a calming drug alone is not enough, the examination can be carried out with the help of so-called sedation. For this purpose, a short-acting sleep medication is administered intravenously, but the effect quickly wears off again. During the gastroscopy, the patient is in a kind of twilight sleep and the duration of the treatment is also perceived as shorter and more pleasant. Since the ability to react may be impaired for a few hours after the administration of such medications, driving a vehicle or operating potentially dangerous machines shortly after sedation is prohibited.

Gastroscopy with anesthesia

Only in very rare cases does a gastroscopy need to be performed under general anesthesia. The reasons for this are great fear of the procedure or patients who are unable to adequately cooperate with the gastroscopy, for example children. Longer or more complicated gastroscopy or medical emergencies can also be reasons for using general anesthesia.

With medication, the sensation of pain and the reflexes are switched off while the patient sleeps deeply. The patient is artificially ventilated and vital functions such as heartbeat and oxygen supply are monitored. After the gastroscopy under general anesthesia, the patient must be supervised until the anesthetic effect has completely subsided. Patients must refrain from driving or operating machines in the hours following general anesthesia.

In contrast to local anesthesia and sedation, gastroscopy under anesthesia carries additional risks. The doctor must therefore carry out additional examinations beforehand so that risk factors such as cardiovascular diseases can be clarified.

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