An Anaesthetist Takes You Closer to Gastrointestinal Endoscopy: Why It Matters After 40

An anaesthetist and patient guide explain what gastroscopy and colonoscopy involve, when screening may matter after 40, how painless endoscopy works, and how to prepare.

👩‍⚕️ As an anaesthetist, I often come into contact with patients undergoing gastroscopy and colonoscopy, and I have found that many people come for the examination with only a vague understanding of it. Some come because they are “following the trend”, often because relatives or friends have recently been found to have gastrointestinal tumours, triggering a wave of “panic”; others follow their doctor’s advice, without having worked out why they need it…

🙎‍♀️ As an ordinary person who has regular health check-ups, because I have a first-degree relative with a history of rectal cancer, I have undergone more than one gastroscopy and colonoscopy even before reaching the screening age recommended by guidelines, and have the most direct experience of the examination process.

As someone who has been through it with a “dual identity”, today I will bring everyone closer to gastroscopy and colonoscopy. Understanding the details of the examination can not only improve our compliance when undergoing it, but also ease nervousness, bring a more positive examination experience, and allow us to benefit more from the examination.

🔎 This article includes 11 popular questions. You may selectively (scroll quickly or savour slowly) view the questions that concern you. Remember to share it with your family group after reading~

01

What exactly are gastroscopes and colonoscopes like?

What are gastroscopes and colonoscopes like? This is a question that many patients who have already entered the gastrointestinal endoscopy room have not worked out. During the pre-anaesthetic consultation, people often ask me to confirm:

“Is the same scope used for gastroscopy and colonoscopy?”