It’s natural to think of a tube with a camera going through your stomach when you hear the word “gastroscopy.” That’s a good interpretation. During this process, biopsies can be taken, which are even more useful than just looking at the surface. What exactly are gastroscopy biopsies, and why are they so important for diagnosing? It needs to be broken down. A gastro clinic in Singapore will provide us more insights to help us find the root cause of your condition. Biopsies taken with a gastroscopy are often overlooked and lack proper understanding. Patients often find it scary to think about their doctor taking tissue samples from the walls of their stomach. They can, however, tell you very important things about your health, like if you have infections, inflammation, early signs of cancer, and more.
What Is a Gastroscopy Biopsy and How Is It Taken?
Gastroscopy, also known as upper endoscopy, is the use of a thin, flexible tube with a camera to examine the esophagus, stomach, and small intestine (duodenum). A gastro clinic specialist or gastroenterologist may take a biopsy, which is a small piece of tissue from the inside of your digestive tract, during this process. After that, these tissue samples are taken to a pathology lab and looked at under a microscope to find infections, problems with the cells, and other signs that might not have been seen during the procedure.
There are a variety of symptoms that can be investigated with this procedure, including:
- Persistent stomach pain
- Chronic acid reflux or heartburn
- Difficulty swallowing
- Unexplained nausea or vomiting
- Gastrointestinal bleeding
- Unexplained weight loss
- Anemia
In most cases, the operation goes smoothly, and the patient is usually sedated to make sure they are comfortable. Gastro clinics use a camera to see inside the digestive tract in real time, but biopsies are often needed to look at things that a gastroenterologist can’t see with the naked eye.
Why Do Biopsies Need To Be Done During a Gastroscopy?
Inflammation, sores, or strange growths can look normal during a gastroscopy, but looks can be deceiving. There may be something going on below the surface that a tissue can help find. It’s important because of these reasons:
- Detecting H. pylori Infection
A bacteria called Helicobacter pylori can make you more likely to get stomach cancer and cause chronic gastritis and peptic ulcers. A biopsy lets doctors get a good look at this problem, which helps them figure out the best way to treat it. Although H. pylori can be found in blood, breath, or stool tests, a biopsy gives the most accurate answer, especially when it is combined with a urease test or a histological examination. If a gastro clinic can accurately diagnose the infection, they can treat it with specific medicines and acid-suppressing drugs.
- Diagnosing Inflammation and Autoimmune Conditions
Inflammation that lasts for a long time in the intestines or stomach (gastritis) can negatively impact health in the future. Immune disorders, like autoimmune gastritis, can sometimes cause this inflammation, which might not be clear during a gastroscopy. Biopsies can find inflammation and how bad it is. They can also help tell the difference between different reasons, such as infectious, autoimmune, or reactive, which is very important for making effective treatment plans.
- Confirming Celiac Disease
Individuals that have celiac disease have an autoimmune problem that makes the small intestine hurt when they eat gluten. To prove the diagnosis, blood tests are needed along with a biopsy of the duodenum to look for changes like villous atrophy (flattening of the lining of the intestines). If a biopsy test isn’t done, it’s not clear if someone has celiac disease, so they may keep suffering needlessly or stick to a strict diet just because they have to.
- Identifying Pre-Cancerous Changes
Because biopsies can find precancerous conditions like intestine metaplasia and dysplasia early, they can be treated before they get worse. These conditions can happen because of a chronic H. pylori infection or additional susceptibility factors.
- Diagnosing Esophageal Disorders
Barrett’s esophagus is a condition in which the usual lining of the esophagus changes because of long-term acid exposure. This can raise the risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma. The lower stomach biopsies help confirm this diagnosis and find out if there are any early signs of dysplasia. Again, this might look totally normal during the endoscope, but it can only be proven to be true under a microscope.
- Assessing Unexplained Symptoms
People sometimes get a gastroscopy because they have unclear symptoms, like feeling tired from iron-deficiency anemia, losing weight for no clear reason, or having indigestion that won’t go away. A visual check might not show anything, but a biopsy could find inflammation, infection, or early disease that would not be seen otherwise.
Are Biopsies Always Necessary?
Biopsies are not always needed during a gastroscopy. A gastro clinic may opt to observe for younger patients with no risk factors and mild symptoms. Nevertheless, biopsies are highly suggested for people who have any of the following conditions:
- Family history of stomach cancer
- Long-standing acid reflux
- Chronic gastritis symptoms
- Suspicious lesions or ulcers
- Unexplained gastrointestinal symptoms
A gut that “looks normal” doesn’t always mean it’s healthy, even if the intestinal mucus membrane looks fine. Biopsies taken from places that don’t seem harmful are used to make many important findings.
Is the Procedure Safe?
It is very safe to do gastroscopy with biopsy. Problems that happen after tests are very uncommon. A biopsy site doesn’t bleed much, and the bleeding usually stops on its own. In regular diagnostic biopsies, infections or holes are almost never seen. Patients can usually go back to their normal lives the same day, with only mild throat pain from the endoscope.
Early Diagnosis Saves Lives
Most of the time, stomach and esophageal cancer don’t have any obvious signs in their early stages. When they do, medication is harder to do and doesn’t work as well. When these problems are found early and easily treatable, biopsies taken during a gastroscopy can help. For long-term diseases like ulcers caused by H. pylori, celiac disease, or autoimmune gastritis, taking action early based on the results of a biopsy can help avoid long-term damage and raise quality of life. A gastroscopy is more than just a camera looking inside your body when it comes to gut health. It gives you a chance to find problems you might not have seen. Gastric biopsies are an important part of this process because they help gastro clinics dig deeper, make correct findings, and move quickly. Expert gastroenterologists are taught how to use this useful testing tool well in Singapore. Get a good checkup as soon as possible if you’re having ongoing digestive problems.
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Andrea’s Digestive Clinic – Dr Andrea Rajnakova
#21-11/12 Royal Square At Novena 101
Irrawaddy Road Singapore 329565
https://andrea-digestive-clinic.com/
Tel: +65 6264 2836
