Gastroenterology

As a rule, endoscopic examinations are completely unproblematic. Nevertheless, we take your concerns seriously. Before each examination, you will have a confidential discussion with your examining doctor. We will specifically address your concerns and discuss your individual risk-benefit ratio.

If you have significant pre-existing conditions or considerable anxiety, we may consult a second doctor for your safety or refer you to a hospital that cooperates with us. As a rule, however, this is not necessary.  

No. As a rule, we carry out the examination in a Twilight sleep (sedation, "sleep injection") through. During and after the examination you will usually have No painbut beautiful dreams.

The additional CO2 insufflation ensures that you need fewer sleeping pills and, above all, that you have less discomfort from a distended stomach after the examination.

Sedation is not an anesthetic but a Gentle twilight sleepfrom which you can be woken up at any time. This makes the examination comfortable and painless. We usually use Propofol, which is characterized by a high level of safety, very good tolerability and controllability. For your safety, we continuously monitor oxygen saturation, blood pressure and heart rate, if medically necessary with an ECG. Our assistants have additional qualifications in sedation and emergency management.

After sedation you are up to 24 h not roadworthy (no car, no bicycle) and not legally competent. We therefore provide you with a Incapacity for work for the examination day. One personal Collection in practice by a relative or acquaintance is necessary and must be documented by their signaturealternatively we will call a cab for your way home. 

During colonoscopy, it is necessary to fill the bowel with gas in order to allow the best possible view. The advantage of CO2 insufflation over the conventionally used room air is that carbon dioxide can be absorbed 150 times faster from the intestine into the blood and exhaled via the lungs. This reduces pain and abdominal cramps caused by flatulence during and especially after the examination. The superiority and safety of CO2 in colonoscopy has been scientifically proven by numerous studies. So far, no relevant side effects have been reported, not even in patients with lung diseases.

Despite the major advantages of CO2 insufflation, this not covered by statutory health insurancebut only covered by private health insurance companies (GOÄ A370). 

Are you Statutorily insuredwe can offer you the carbon dioxide colonoscopy only as IGeL (individual health service) with a contribution towards expenses of 15 € offer. Even if you decide to use room air, we will of course make every effort to ensure that the examination is as gentle as possible.

Before a gastroscopy, you must for your own safety six hours "sober", i.e. you must not eat or smoke. In the last two hours before the examination, you should also stop drinking so that your stomach is completely empty at the start of the gastroscopy. Otherwise there is a risk of aspiration (Penetration of liquid or solid substances into the respiratory tract).

Before the colonoscopy  Complete emptying and optimum cleaning of the bowel is necessary. This not only increases the safety of the procedure, but also enables the Best possible assessment of the mucous membrane to the Discovery of polyps. 

Five days before the examination, please change your diet to a low-fiber and seed-free diet - i.e. essentially no vegetables, no fruit and no fiber-containing foods.

The actual "purging" begins the day before the examination. Please note the detailed instructions in our preparation informationwhich will be given to you together with the laxative on the day of the medical consultation.

For your own safety, please do not decide this important point on your own, but during the medical consultation with Dr. Brand or beforehand with your family doctor.

You should be prepared for the following questions: What is the Exact name and dosage of the medication? Why you are taking a blood thinner (e.g. coronary stent, pulmonary embolism, thrombosis, stroke,...)?

Take for example ASS 100 (Aspirin protect) due to a heart disease with coronary stents, this not paused The risk of a heart attack due to occlusion of the stent exceeds the only slightly increased risk of bleeding. If you are taking ASA purely prophylactically, you should stop taking it 10 days before the examination.

With so-called oral Anticoagulants such as Marcumar, Lixiana, Xarelto or Eliquis, injections may have to be administered on an interim basis.

YesThis is possible and may be useful depending on the issue - e.g. in the case of unclear abdominal pain, diarrhea or bleeding.

Yes. After the examination, the visual findings are usually discussed and the images of the examination are shown on request. You will also receive a written preliminary medical report. After the histological examination of the tissue samples by the pathologist, usually after 7 to 14 dayswe send a final report with therapy and, if necessary, aftercare recommendations to the referring colleague(s).

Of course. Please let us know explicitly so that we can make a separate note of this. If you still do not receive a letter or would like one at a later date, please do not hesitate to contact us.

No. Printed images in a doctor's letter rarely add value and are usually of inferior quality. If you want a meaningful Picture documentation wish to undergo an examination (gastroscopy, colonoscopy or sonography), burn we can provide these for a small contribution towards expenses on CD.

One Abdominal sonography requires about 15 minuteswhich Gastroscopy or gastroscopy 15 minutesa Colonoscopy or colonoscopy 30 minutes. After sedation, please allow approx. 30 to 60 minutes for recovery. 

Please understand that there may be waiting times due to complex examinations with polyp removal.

No. Hygiene is the core element of endoscopy that you must be able to rely on completely. We reprocess the devices according to the strictest criteria through manual pre-cleaning followed by fully automatic disinfection (RDGE) using peracetic acid.

We only use disposable products as additional endoscopic instruments such as biopsy forceps, biopsy valves or polyp loops.

The RDGE and the quality of the hygiene measures are regularly checked, validated and certified by the KVB by independent service providers and the Max von Pettenkofer Institute for Hygiene and Medical Microbiology at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich.

This is of course possible. If you are interested, you can follow the examination live on a screen. We carry out the examination as gently as possible. However, it is not possible to predict how painful or unpleasant the examination will ultimately be and this varies completely from patient to patient depending on their individual perception of pain. It is not advisable in the following situations: Great fear of the examination, a strong gag reflex or irritable cough, a "sensitive" abdomen.

If you perform the examination without sedation, there are no restrictions with regard to your fitness to drive or your legal capacity.

If you have received a sleeping injection, you may not actively participate in road traffic until the following day. You must therefore be collected by a responsible person to ensure a safe journey home and this must be documented by the signature of the person collecting you or the cab driver.

Under no circumstances may you drive a car, motorcycle or bicycle yourself. You should not carry out dangerous activities or make important decisions on the day of the examination - you are not fit for business.