Endoscopy services

An endoscopy is a procedure which can be used to investigate symptoms and provide certain types of surgery, by examining the inside of your body using an instrument called an endoscope.

The endoscopy units at both South Tyneside District Hospital and Sunderland Royal Hospital provides in-patient, out-patient and out of hours endoscopy service for patients requiring the following endoscopic procedures:

• Gastroscopy (Camera test of the gullet and stomach)
• Colonoscopy (Camera test of the large bowel or colon)
• Flexible Sigmoidoscopy (Limited camera test of the lower large bowel or colon)
• Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio-Pancreatography (E.R.C.P.)
• Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy (PEG)
• Bronchoscopy (Camera test into the lungs)
• Endoscopic Bronchial Ultrasound (E.B.U.S.)
• Double Balloon Enteroscopy

We also offer the following access to services:

• Direct to Test Gastroscopy / Flexible Sigmoidoscopy and Colonoscopy
• Bowel Cancer Screening Programme (BCSP) Colonoscopy via Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Gateshead Screening Hub.
• Inpatient and outpatient endoscopy procedures following consultant review
• General Anaesthesia (GA) lists where deemed clinically appropriate
• Gastrointestinal (GI) Physiology Studies (both upper and lower)
• Capsule Endoscopy at South Tyneside (wireless disposable camera test of the small bowel)