EUS

EUS provides your doctor more detailed pictures of your digestive tract anatomy. Your doctor can use EUS to diagnose the cause of conditions such as abdominal pain or abnormal weight loss. Or, if your doctor has ruled out certain conditions, EUS can confirm your diagnosis and give you a clean bill of health.

EUS is also used to evaluate an abnormality, such as a growth, that was detected at a prior endoscopy or by x-ray. EUS provides a detailed picture of the growth, which can help your doctor determine its nature and decide upon the best treatment.

In addition, EUS can be used to diagnose diseases of the pancreas, bile duct and gallbladder when other tests are inconclusive.

EUS helps your doctor determine the extent of certain cancers of the digestive and respiratory systems. EUS allows your doctor to accurately assess the cancer’s depth and whether it has spread to adjacent lymph glands or nearby vital structures such as major blood vessels. In some patients, EUS can be used to obtain tissue samples to help your doctor determine the proper treatment.

For EUS of the upper gastrointestinal tract, you should have nothing to eat or drink, not even water, usually six hours before the examination. Your doctor will tell you when to start this fasting.

For EUS of the rectum or colon, your doctor will give you a list of special instructions prior to the examination. The procedure might have to be rescheduled if you don’t follow your doctor’s instructions carefully.

You should plan to arrive one hour before the scheduled time of the examination. Leave all jewellery and valuables at home. A staff member will review your medical history and compile a list of all medicines you are taking for your chart.

Please discuss all medications you are currently using with your doctor or any allergies you may have prior to the procedure. Your doctor will tell you whether or not you should take these as usual or not.

If you have an allergy to Latex you should also inform your doctor prior to your procedure. Patients with latex allergies often require special equipment and may not be able to have an EUS examination.

For an EUS examination of the upper gastrointestinal tract your endoscopist may spray your throat with a local anaesthetic before the test begins. Most often you will receive sedatives intravenously to help you relax.You will most likely begin by lying on your left side. After you have received sedatives, your doctor will pass the ultrasound endoscope through your mouth, oesophagus and stomach into the duodenum. The instrument does not interfere with your ability to breathe. The actual examination generally takes between 15 to 45 minutes. Most patients fall asleep during the procedure.

For EUS of the lower gastrointestinal tract you start by lying on your left side with your back toward the doctor and the procedure usually lasts from 10 to 30 minutes.

You will be monitored in the recovery area until most of the effects of the sedatives have worn off. If you had an upper EUS your throat may be sore. You may also feel bloated because of the air and water that were introduced during the examination. You will be able to eat after the procedure. Your doctor generally can inform you of the results of the procedure that day, but results of some tests may take longer.

You won’t be able to drive after the procedure even if you don’t feel tired. You should arrange for a ride home.

Although complications can occur, they are rare when doctors with specialized training and experience perform the EUS examination. Bleeding might occur at a biopsy site, but is usually minimal and rarely requires follow-up.Other potential, but uncommon risks of EUS include infection and complications from heart or lung diseases. One major but very uncommon complication is perforation. This is a tear through the lining of the intestine that might require surgery to repair.