Does gastroscopy require anesthesia?

Question
Hello doctor, can I ask if the gastroscopy requires anesthesia? Hope to get your doctor's advice on this matter. thank you.
Anonymous question
Answer
Hello! Thank you for asking the question “Does gastroscopy require anesthesia?” To the above question, the doctor would like to answer as follows:
Gastroscopy is a procedure. The doctor will use the endoscope to insert the endoscope into the mouth, down the pharynx, esophagus and stomach - duodenum with this procedure when the catheter is inserted into the mouth and pharynx, you will feel very uncomfortable because of the irritation of the stomach. The bronchoscope makes your eyes and nose watery, and you feel nauseous and vomiting especially when the catheter goes down.
Currently, Vinmec hospital performs gastroscopy with sedation and endoscopy with local anesthesia (endoscopy without anesthesia - sedation).
Endoscopy with local anesthesia is: before the endoscopy, the doctor will spray numbing medicine into your pharynx and after 3-5 minutes, the endoscopist will perform the endoscopy. However, during endoscopy with local anesthesia, most patients feel uncomfortable because they are stimulated to cough and choke and are afraid, especially some people who are sensitive and have poor pain tolerance.
During gastroscopy with anesthesia, the anesthesiologists will inject anesthetic and pain relievers to help you sleep without pain, discomfort and fear. When the patient is anesthetized, the endoscopist will perform the endoscopic and interventional operations more conveniently than the endoscope without anesthesia. During the procedure, you will be given oxygen by a team of anesthesiologists and nurses so that you can breathe through your nose, and the anesthesiologists will monitor your blood pressure, heart rate and breathing rate during the procedure. . With modern machinery and a team of experienced doctors, you will feel satisfied and highly safe when using the services at the hospital of Vinmec Health System. Best regards!

Answered by Specialist Doctor II Dinh Van Loc - Anesthesiologist - General Surgery Department - Vinmec Danang International Hospital