Sound scary? It's not. Endoscopy is usually performed as an outpatient procedure and patients are typically under light sedation. Plan to have a friend or family member drive you home after the appointment; doctors say you shouldn't drive or operate heavy equipment for about 12 hours after the procedure.
To see how an endoscopy works, check out the following information from our A–Z Health Library.
An upper gastrointestinal endoscopy is a way for your doctor to look at the inside lining of your esophagus, stomach, and the first part of your small intestine (called the duodenum). The doctor uses a thin, flexible viewing instrument called an endoscope. With the endoscope, your doctor can check to see if you have any ulcers, inflammation, tumors, infection, or bleeding.
This test is also known as an esophagogastroduodenoscopy, or EGD.
Last Updated: March 31, 2010 
