What are the risks of an upper GI endoscopy?

Risks of an upper GI endoscopy are mainly related to the type of anesthesia used, as sedation is required to avoid a gag reflex when the camera is put in the mouth and down the throat. Watch otolaryngologist Jonathan Aviv, MD, explain these risks.

Transcript

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JONATHAN AVIV: The risks of upper GI endoscopy are almost all related to the type of anesthesia

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required during the exam. [MUSIC PLAYING]

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For upper endoscopy, traditional upper endoscopy, you have a fairly large camera.

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It's placed in the mouth to look at the area of the esophagus and the stomach.

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Because you're using a large camera that goes in the mouth, you're stimulating the gag reflex, which is in the mouth.

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So you need to use at least a twilight anesthesia or a deeper form of anesthesia to allow the camera to get by the tongue.

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Once you start using twilight anesthesia or deeper forms of anesthesia, that's when the risks

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of potential complications arise.

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These complications include stopping breathing, heart attack, and stroke. [MUSIC PLAYING]