What is Transnasal Gastroscopy?
Similar to gastroscopy, transnasal gastroscopy allows examination of the upper digestive tract. However, unlike conventional gastroscopy, transnasal gastroscopy is inserted from the nostrils instead of from the mouth. The diameter of the scope is 5mm smaller than the conventional gastroscopy. Insertion through the nose causes much less discomfort than through the mouth. Conventional endoscopy often causes pharyngeal reflex (gag reflex) and nausea, because the endoscope touches the root of the tongue during examination. Since the transnasal gastroscope is inserted through the nostrils into the esophagus, it does not touch the root of the tongue and produces almost no pharyngeal reflex. So patients can undergo the procedure quite comfortably without sedation. Only local anaesthetic agent is required to be sprayed to the back of throat before the procedure. In fact, patients can even chit chat to the doctor doing the procedure. The only complication that some patients may suffer is nose bleed after the procedure. This is always minor and stops after one to two minutes.
Patients are able to eat and drink 30 minutes after procedure (once the effect of local anaesthetic wears off). They are able to return to work immediately after endoscopy as no sedation was administered.
Smaller diameter of transnasal scope