How is EUS performed-

四川省第四人民医院消化内科常玉英

Upon arrival at the endoscopy center, thenurse or the doctor will discuss the procedure and answer any questions. Youwill then be asked to sign a consent form indicating you were informed aboutthe procedure, its alternatives, and its risks. You will undress and put on ahospital gown. An IV will be placed in a vein and kept open with a slow drip ofIV fluid. This IV will be used to administer the sedatives or other requiredmedication. Anesthesia is rarely used. You will then be taken into theprocedure room and, after the administration of the sedation, the EUS will becarried out. Small electrode patches will be placed on your skin for themonitoring of your blood pressure, pulse, and blood oxygen.

Once sleepy, the special endoscope will beinserted and the procedure started. Because of the sedation, you will only feelminimal discomfort, if any, during the entire procedure. The physician willobserve the inside of your intestinal tract on a TV monitor and the ultrasoundimage on another monitor. The entire procedure generally takes 30 to 90 minutesdepending on the complexity and whether fine needle aspiration (FNA) isperformed.

After the procedure you will be sleepy forup to one hour and be unable to drink or walk. Once you are fully awake, thedoctor will discuss with you and, if desired the person with you, the findingsof the procedure. Barring any rare complications, when you are fully awake,your companion will be able to take you home where you should rest for theremainder of the day. Light meals and fluids are allowed. The bloating whichyou may feel from the insufflated air will only be temporary. Should yourthroat be mildly sore, for a day or two, salt-water gargles will providerelieve. You should call your doctor if concerned about your progress or havingsevere pain, vomiting, passage or vomiting of blood, chills or fever. If EUSwas particularly difficult or complicated you may be kept in the hospitalovernight.

The endoscopist will discuss this with you, when you wake up.