Gastroscopy is generally not recommended after meals, which may affect the field of view of gastroscopy or cause aspiration.
Before performing gastroscopy, it is generally necessary to prepare the intestines, and it is often recommended that the examiner abstain from eating and drinking for 6 to 8 hours in advance. The purpose is to empty the contents of the gastric cavity as much as possible, which will help to obtain a clear field of vision during gastroscopy, and to better observe whether there is any lesion in the cavity.
In addition, during the procedure, some patients may experience nausea and vomiting, and if there is residual food in the gastric cavity, there is a possibility of aspiration into the trachea, which may lead to sudden death in severe cases. Therefore, it is generally not recommended to perform gastroscopy after meals.
Examiners should complete the pre-gastroscopy preparation under the guidance of a specialist.