We provide a first-class endoscopic ultrasound service to accurately diagnose conditions affecting the oesophagus, stomach, pancreas, gall bladder and duodenum.EUS is a minimally invasive procedure used to assess, diagnose and sometimes treat diseases of the digestive tract (oesophagus, stomach and duodenum) as well as nearby organs (pancreas, gallbladder, bile ducts and liver).
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What is it for?
To diagnose diseases of the digestive tract and nearby organs
On this page
Treatment overview
EUS stands for endoscopic ultrasound. This is an endoscopy using a standard camera which is combined with an internal ultrasound scan. The camera is passed through the mouth and down into the stomach. This allows excellent visualisation of both the upper GI tract and importantly the organs that are situated next to the GI tract, including the pancreas, bile ducts, gallbladder and parts of the liver. EUS allows investigation and minimally invasive treatment of several internal diseases.
At The London Clinic, we offer our endoscopic ultrasound service in our calm and comfortable Endoscopy Unit. Our patients have given the unit a satisfaction rating of over 98%.
Our world-leading gastroenterologists and expert nursing team will oversee your procedure and provide you with exceptional personalised care throughout your time with us.
Contact us today to find out more about our endoscopic ultrasound service and start your five-star experience with The London Clinic.
Diagnostic information
Why might I need an endoscopic ultrasound?
Your consultant may recommend an endoscopic ultrasound to:
- Investigate the cause of your upper GI symptoms
- Drain cysts, pseudocysts or fluid collections in your digestive system
- Target medicine directly into one of your organs
- Assess abnormal findings from imaging tests such as CT or MRI scans
- Assess how big and how deep a cancer is in the upper gastrointestinal system, i.e to stage the cancer
- Investigate medical symptoms related to the upper and lower digestive tract
FAQs
EUS must be performed with an empty stomach. This is to reduce the risk of vomiting and to make sure your consultant has clear views of your upper digestive system.This means you’ll not be able to eat for four to six hours before your procedure.If you normally take medication or supplements, your care team will also discuss with you if you need to stop taking these and the best times to do so.
Your endoscopic ultrasound will begin with your consultant giving you medication through a needle or tube inserted into a vein.This medication reduces discomfort and should make you feel less anxious. You should feel relaxed but be awake during your procedure.Your consultant may also spray local anaesthetic in the back of your mouth to numb your throat.They’ll then insert a long, thin, flexible tube (endoscope) into your mouth. They may ask you to swallow to help the endoscope pass down your throat. You shouldn’t feel any pain at this point.The tube is passed down your throat, through your stomach and into the first part of your small intestine (duodenum).Attached to the end of the tube is a light, camera and ultrasound.The ultrasound uses sound waves to create high-quality images of lymph nodes, organs and other structures in your upper digestive system.These include the pancreas, gallbladder, liver and bile ducts.Your consultant will view images sent by the ultrasound and camera on computer screens next to where you are.This allows them to pick up on anything that doesn’t look normal and diagnose certain conditions.During your endoscopic ultrasound scan, your consultant may also use a range of surgical instruments to:
- Take a sample of body tissue (guided biopsy)
- Drain cysts, pseudocysts or other fluid collections
- Target medicine directly into an organ
An endoscopic ultrasound usually lasts between 20 to 45 minutes, but this will depend on the complexity of the procedure which varies between individual patients.Â
Your consultant will be able to discuss the findings on the day as soon as you have recovered from the sedative.
They may also arrange an appointment to discuss the results of tests carried out on any biopsies obtained during the procedure.
These biopsy results are usually available in three to four working days.
At this appointment, your consultant will also explain your diagnosis, discuss your treatment options and chat through any worries you may have.
After your endoscopic ultrasound, you’ll recover in our calming and comfortable Endoscopy Unit until your medication has worn off and you feel ready to go home.
However, you’ll need someone to travel with you, and we recommend someone stays overnight with you as well.
We also advise that you don’t drink alcohol, drive, work or operate machinery for 24 hours, as you won’t be as mentally alert as usual.
Scans such as CT or MRI scans can be performed instead of EUS, however the images are not as clear. EUS gives much clearer details of organs that may be affected by disease. EUS also allows internal biopsies to be taken, where as this is not possible with scans alone.
EUS is safe and well tolerated under sedation. Your expert multidisciplinary team will work closely together to reduce any risk during an endoscopic ultrasound, and support your safe recovery after.Rarely, complications do occur. These may include:
- The sedative can affect your breathing, making it slow and shallow
- Bleeding can rarely occur as part of a biopsy
- Infection may occur after cyst sampling. Antibiotics may be given to reduce this risk
- Pancreatitis may occur if a pancreatic biopsy is obtained
- Tearing (perforation) of the intestinal wall or throat
Your consultant will discuss these with you in more detail.Â
EUS is not painful. You may have some minor discomfort afterwards due to the air that is pumped into the stomach during the procedure, but this should soon pass. Some patients also have a mild sore throat for a few days after the procedure.It is important that you are comfortable with your decision to undertake this treatment. If you are concerned, please discuss this with your consultant at any time.
We offer Fixed Price Packages
Where possible, we’ll provide a fixed-price package for your hospital care. This covers your hospital stay, nursing, and use of our facilities, giving you a clear guide to what those costs will be.
- Pre-op assessment
- Hospital stay, nursing care and meals
- Tests, scans and physio during your stay
- Take-home medication (up to 5 days)
- Post-op follow-up appointments
- Standard equipment or prosthesis (if needed)
- Unplanned extended stay or ITU (if clinically required)
- Initial consultation and any tests done during it
- Consultant and anaesthetist fees (quoted separately)
- Physio or therapy before or after your stay
- Diagnostics before admission (unless agreed in your plan)
- Specialist medication beyond 5 days
- Ambulance transport or bespoke prosthetics
Your consultant’s fees are quoted separately and shared directly by their office after your consultation. These professional fees cover the time, expertise, and care provided by your consultant before, during, and after your treatment. See our full terms and conditions
Why choose The London Clinic?
Trusted for over 90 years, The London Clinic is an independent charitable hospital that reinvests into care, research, and support for those who can’t easily access private treatment.
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More patients choose The London Clinic than any other.
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World-class 13-bed ICU for expert support if your care becomes complex.
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0% Finance Options
We’ve teamed up with Chrysalis to offer you funding options that allow you to spread the cost of your treatment.
If you choose to pay for your treatment at The London Clinic over 12 months, you can make use of a great 0% interest option and pay nothing extra. Or you can choose to pay over two to five years at 14.9% APR.
Trustees of the London Clinic Ltd trading as The London Clinic is an Appointed Representative of Chrysalis Finance Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. The London Clinic is a credit broker, not a lender. The provider of a payment scheme which is not offered through or by Chrysalis Finance Limited may not be so authorised and regulated. Cancer treatments or transplants aren’t covered by finance packages. Finance options are only available for UK patients.