Patients should not eat or drink for several hours before the exam. Many medications affect the esophagus; doses sometimes need to be adjusted or even stopped for a while. Patients must inform doctors of all medications taken.
Esophageal function tests are used to determine if these processes are normal or abnormal.
This test requires a blood sample.
No special preparations are necessary for this test.
For most of these studies, no special care is needed after the procedure. Patients can often go about normal daily activities following any of these tests. One exception is for those who undergo an x-ray exam with the use of barium.
Pregnant patients undergoing x-ray exams should carefully review the risks and benefits with their doctors. Most x-ray exams of the gastrointestinal tract do not involve radiation levels that are harmful to the unborn baby.
No special preparation is needed to use a hyperbaric chamber other than educating patients about what to expect during treatment.
Before beginning a monthly BSE, a woman's breasts should be completely exposed.
Patients should not drink alcoholic or caffeinated beverages, smoke tobacco, or ingest other nicotine products for 24 hours before the test. These substances can affect test results. Patients should also not eat anything.
Patients should make sure their doctors are aware of any medications that they are taking, even over-the-counter medications. Patients should not take aspirin, or any other blood-thinning medications for ten days prior to surgery.
The standard preoperative blood tests are performed. The patient should not eat or drink the day of the procedure.
There are many reasons for immobilization using splints, casts, and braces. Each person should understand his or her diagnosis clearly.
The nurse or doctor may inject the site with a local anesthetic before flushing the wound.