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Home > Our services > Endoscopy > Diagnostic procedures

Diagnostic procedures

Our Endoscopy department is purpose-built and features:

  • Five procedure rooms
  • A newly built endoscope decontamination area
  • Pre- assessment rooms, pre-optimisation areas
  • Male and female recovery rooms – there are a total of 12 bays

Diagnostic procedures

A comprehensive range of diagnostic procedures are available, including:

  • Upper Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (examination of the lining of your gullet, stomach and first part of your intestine by a flexible tube with a small camera on the end)
  • Colonoscopy (examination of your large bowel by a flexible tube with a small camera on the end)
  • Flexible Sigmoidoscopy (examination of lower bowel by a flexible tube with a small camera on the end)
  • Enteroscopy (examination of the small intestine)
  • ERCP (Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio Pancreatography) this is a procedure that allows the doctor to take detailed x-rays of the bile duct and pancreas. This procedure is performed using a flexible tube  with a small camera on the end
  • Bronchoscopy (examination of your lung by a flexible tube with a small camera on the end)
  • Hysteroscopy (examination of your womb by a flexible tube with a small camera on the end)
  • Cystoscopy (examination of your bladder by a flexible tube with a small camera on the end)

Transperineal Prostate biopsies

The procedure is carried out in the endoscopy department. Transperineal Prostate biopsies are taken through the perineum (the area between the testicles and the back passage) under local anaesthetic.

You will be given local anaesthetic injection to numb the skin and the area around the prostate by the clinician taking the needle samples from the prostate. Your prostate gland is in front of your rectum; therefore, an ultrasound probe will be inserted into the rectum to create an image of your prostate gland.

All prostate biopsy procedures are done with a needle puncture through the perineum.

You can go home following the procedure, although you can drive following the procedure, where possible we recommend that you arrange for someone to drive you home.  Prostate biopsy takes 20-30 minutes to perform. You will be given one dose of oral antibiotic before the procedure.  The samples will be sent for analysis to the histopathologist (specialist in examining the cells of the body).

Due to the way in which the specimens are prepared for the histopathologist (specialist in examining the cells of the body), the results take around two weeks to become available to the urology team.

Nasal OGD

The endoscope is passed through your nose to the back of your throat then guided into your gullet stomach and duodenum. A trans nasal gastroscopy is carried out using a long thin flexible instrument called an endoscope. This is about 4mm in diameter and is much thinner than standard endoscopes.

The nurse caring for you during the test will ask you to lie on your left-hand side on a trolley. The nurse will monitor your pulse rate and oxygen levels during the test. During the test air is used to inflate your stomach to allow a clear view. Sedation is not given as standard for this procedure.

The endoscopy staff will speak to you immediately following your test. You will then be given written information about your test, including when you can next have a drink. Once you have this information you are free to go home or return to work. You can drive following the procedure providing you do not have sedation.

GI conditions

Following diagnosis of your condition, your treatment options will be discussed with you by your doctor or nurse endoscopist.

We also provide a specialist Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy (PEG) service for people who need to be tube-fed directly into the stomach.

Some of the GI Conditions we treat include: