Location: Piedmont Hospital GI Lab
Report to Hospital GI Lab on __________________at ____________am/pm
Park in the “North” parking deck. Take the elevator to the bridge level BR). Sign will say “Bridge to Hospital”. Get off at the “bridge” level; Walk over the glassed in covered bridge.
Turn right and then left. Look for sign to GI Lab. Check in at the window when you enter the GI Lab. You will be registered there.
Instructions
Click for Printable Directions
Guidelines
IF YOUR STUDY IS IN THE MORNING:
You should have nothing to eat or drink after midnight.
IF YOUR STUDY IS IN THE AFTERNOON:
You should have nothing to eat or drink after midnight. The morning of your test you may have liquids only, but not after 8:00 am.
YOU SHOULD TAKE YOUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEDICATIONS WITH WATER UNLESS OTHERWISE INSTRUCTED.
NOTE FOR DIABETIC PATIENTS:
You will need to be scheduled with an early morning appointment. Please advise the doctor managing your diabetic care that you are having this test.
Your medication may be changed in preparation for this test.
Continue all antacid medications such as Zantac, Pepcid, Tagamet, Axid, Prolosec, Prevacid, Protonix. Aciphex or Nexium. You should take all other regularly scheduled medications with water unless otherwise directed. Please notify your Physician if you are taking Coumadin.
For the Esophageal Motility Study, a catheter will be placed through your nose into your esophagus. Pressures will be measured in your esophagus for about 20 minutes. Depending on the indication for this procedure, and after discussing the situation with your physician, we may do additional studies in order to obtain more information from this test.
For the 48 hour pH study, a small catheter containing a probe about the size of a Tylenol gel cap will be placed through the nose. Using a small amount of suction, the probe will be attached to the inside of the esophagus. The catheter inserted through the nose will be removed. The probe will transmit information to a pager size receiver that is worn on the wrist for 48 hours. The receiver will be returned 48 hours later at the designated time. It is very important that the receiver be returned to the GI Lab promptly at the designated time. Several days after the study, the probe naturally detaches from the esophagus and passes through the digestive tract.
If you have any questions regarding these instructions, please feel free to call your physician or the Piedmont GI Lab at 404-605-3462. The results of this study will reach your physician’s office in 7 10 days.
This is a safe, simple and well tolerated study.
