Gastroscopy and Colonoscopy Cost in Chennai

Worried About Persistent Digestive Symptoms?

Persistent heartburn, difficulty swallowing, chronic abdominal pain, or unexplained changes in bowel habits can be deeply concerning. These symptoms often indicate an underlying issue within your gastrointestinal GI tract. An upper GI endoscopy gastroscopy or a lower GI endoscopy colonoscopy allows us to look directly inside your digestive system to find the precise cause of your discomfort.

Rather than relying on vague assumptions, these visual examinations provide direct and highly accurate answers. They help identify conditions like gastro-oesophageal reflux disease GERD, stomach ulcers, inflammatory bowel disease, or early-stage colorectal cancers, ensuring you receive the correct treatment plan.

Understanding Gastroscopy and Colonoscopy Procedures

Both procedures are minimally invasive and designed to examine the inner lining of your digestive tract using a thin, flexible tube with a camera and light at its tip.

• Gastroscopy Process: This procedure focuses on the upper GI tract. The endoscope is gently passed through your mouth and down into your oesophagus, stomach, and the first part of your small intestine duodenum. It helps evaluate symptoms like persistent nausea, difficulty swallowing, or upper abdominal pain.
• Colonoscopy Process: This procedure evaluates the lower GI tract. The colonoscope is inserted through the rectum and guided through the entire length of your large intestine colon. It is primarily used to investigate chronic diarrhoea, rectal bleeding, unexplained weight loss, or as a vital screening tool for colon cancer.
• Sedation: To make the experience completely comfortable, both procedures are typically performed under light sedation. You will feel relaxed and drowsy, and most patients do not feel any discomfort or remember the procedure afterward.

How to Prepare for Your Endoscopy

Proper preparation is essential to ensure a clear view of your digestive tract, allowing for an accurate diagnosis and reducing the need to repeat the procedure.

• Upper Endoscopy Prep: You will need to fast, consuming no food or liquids for at least six to eight hours before the procedure to ensure your stomach is completely empty.
• Colonoscopy Prep: This requires a thorough bowel cleansing. You will be prescribed a specific liquid laxative solution to consume the day before, along with a clear liquid diet, to clear all waste from your colon.
• Medication Review: It is crucial to inform us about all medications you take, especially blood thinners, diabetes medications, or blood pressure drugs, as some may need to be adjusted temporarily.

Therapeutic Endoscopy: Treatment Without Surgery

An endoscopy is not just a diagnostic tool; it is also a powerful platform for therapeutic endoscopy, allowing us to treat several gastrointestinal conditions immediately during the same session.

• Biopsy Collection: If abnormal tissue or inflammation is spotted, tiny instruments are passed through the scope to take a small tissue sample for laboratory analysis.
• Polyp Removal: During a colonoscopy, we can perform a polypectomy to safely remove colon polyps, which are small growths that could potentially develop into cancer over time.
• Stricture Dilatation: If you have a narrowed path in your oesophagus or bowel, specialized balloons can be passed through the scope to gently widen the area.
• Bleeding Control: Active bleeding from ulcers or abnormal blood vessels can be stopped instantly using heat probes, clips, or specialized medication injections.

What to Expect During Recovery and at Home

Recovery from a diagnostic or therapeutic endoscopy is rapid, with most patients returning to their normal routine within a day or two.

• Immediate Post-Procedure Stay: You will rest in a recovery room for one to two hours while the sedative wears off. You will need a family member or friend to drive you home.
• Dietary Guidelines: You can usually resume eating a light, soft diet shortly after the procedure, gradually returning to your normal diet the following day.
• Mild Side Effects: You may experience a mild sore throat after a gastroscopy, or slight bloating and gas after a colonoscopy. These symptoms are normal and typically resolve within a few hours.
• Return to Work: Most patients are fully capable of returning to work and resuming light daily activities the day after the procedure.

Consulting a Specialist for Endoscopy in Chennai

When undergoing a diagnostic or therapeutic procedure, having it performed by an experienced surgical gastroenterologist ensures both safety and clinical precision. Dr. Babu Elangovan brings over 20 years of clinical and operative experience, providing comprehensive care from the initial diagnostic consultation through to any necessary treatment or follow-up.

Our practice is dedicated to delivering patient-centric, compassionate care in a safe clinical environment. Patients travel to our Chennai practice from across Tamil Nadu and wider South India to receive expert gastrointestinal care, and we warmly welcome outstation patients seeking remote video second opinions.