East: Digestive health procedures

• Bronchoscopy
  Visualizes airways of the lungs. It is used to diagnose lung diseases and cancers and to determine the cause of chronic caughing or bleeding. A small, lighted scope is passed through your nose or mouth, down your windpipe and into your lungs. A tissue specimen may be obtained to determine a diagnosis. Sedation is given for this procedure. Recovery time is one to two hours and you will be unable to drink or eat for two hours following the procedure.
• Colonoscopy
  A lighted scope is passed through your rectum, through the colon (three to six feet), to the lower end of the small intestine. The procedure is used to diagnose change in bowel habits and to screen for colon cancers. If anything unusual is found such as a polyp or inflamed tissue, a biopsy may be taken and sent to the lab for analysis. Sedation is given and the procedure typically lasts about 20 to 30 minutes. Recovery time is about one hour. Prior to your procedure, your colon will need to be cleaned with a bowel preparation given to you by your physician.
• Endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography (ERCP)
  A lighted scope is passed through the esophagus, stomach and duodenum until it reaches the area where the ducts of the biliary tree and pancreas open into the duodenum. It allows for diagnosis of diseases linked to the liver, gallbladder, bile ducts and pancreas. It is used to discover reasons for abdominal pain, abnormal lab tests, jaundice and weight loss. Sedation is given and the procedure can last from 30 minutes to two hours with a one-hour recovery. You will be required to lay on your stomach for the procedure and you will be unable to eat or drink for six hours prior.
• Esophagogastroduodenoscopy
  A lighted scope is passed through the esophagus, stomach and duodenum. The procedure is used to discover the reason for swallowing problems, nausea, vomiting, reflux, bleeding, indigestion, abdominal pain or chest pain. Sedation is given and the procedure takes 10 to 20 minutes with a one-hour recovery time. Your stomach must be empty for this procedure to be performed so you cannot eat or drink for at least six hours prior.