Gastroscopy & Colonoscopy in Johannesburg
Gastroscopy (upper endoscopy) and colonoscopy (lower endoscopy) are outpatient camera examinations of the digestive tract. They are the definitive tests for reflux, ulcers, coeliac disease, chronic diarrhoea, iron-deficiency anaemia, and colorectal cancer screening.
Performed by Dr Pieter Marais at Johannesburg Surgical Hospital, Randburg, Johannesburg.
What it involves
A slim flexible camera is passed through the mouth (gastroscopy) or via the anus (colonoscopy) after light sedation. Biopsies can be taken, polyps removed, and bleeding treated in the same session.
Colorectal cancer screening from age 45 in average-risk adults, and earlier when there's a family history, dramatically reduces cancer mortality. Precancerous polyps found and removed at colonoscopy never become cancer.
Gastroscopy is the definitive test for reflux disease (grading oesophagitis, ruling out Barrett's oesophagus), peptic ulcers, coeliac disease (with biopsies), and gastric or oesophageal cancer.
Both procedures are done under conscious sedation — you sleep through it, you don't feel it, and you go home a few hours later. You can't drive that day; arrange a lift home.
Straightforward gastroscopy and colonoscopy can be booked as an in-rooms procedure at Dr Marais's consulting rooms at Johannesburg Surgical Hospital — convenient for patients in Randburg, Weltevredenpark, Northcliff and the surrounding suburbs. It's a same-day, walk-in walk-out procedure under light sedation that avoids full hospital admission, theatre and ward fees. Suitability is decided at consultation based on your medical history; higher-risk cases are still done in the main theatre.
Patients often search for a gastroenterologist in Johannesburg when what they actually need is a colonoscopy or a gastroscopy — the tests, not the specialty. Dr Marais performs both routinely in the same theatre list, so a referral from your GP goes straight to a booked procedure date rather than through a separate specialist queue. For colonoscopy Johannesburg patients, that typically means the scope is done within a week or two of consultation, results on the day, and biopsy histology within a week.
When it's indicated
Reflux symptoms not settling on medication, unexplained upper-GI symptoms, iron-deficiency anaemia, change in bowel habit, rectal bleeding, family history of bowel cancer, or routine screening from age 45–50.
The approach
Both procedures are done under conscious sedation as day-case procedures at Johannesburg Surgical Hospital. Colonoscopy requires bowel preparation the day before — a low-residue diet and a laxative preparation.
Recovery
Same-day procedure. Two to three hours in recovery while sedation wears off. No driving that day. Back to normal activity and eating the following morning. Bloating and mild cramps for a few hours are normal.
Gastroscopy & Colonoscopy FAQ
- Is colonoscopy painful?
- Under conscious sedation, most patients don't remember the procedure. Some experience mild cramping in the hours afterwards from residual air, which passes quickly.
- Do I need to be screened for bowel cancer?
- Yes — from age 45 in average-risk adults, or earlier if you have a family history, personal history of polyps, or inflammatory bowel disease. Screening finds and removes polyps before they become cancer.
- What is the bowel prep like?
- The day before, a low-residue diet and a laxative preparation (usually taken in split doses evening and early morning). It's the least pleasant part of the process, but a clean colon is essential for a thorough exam.
- Can polyps be removed during the same procedure?
- Yes — small and medium polyps are removed during the colonoscopy itself. Very large polyps or suspicious lesions may need a separate scheduled procedure or surgery.
- What if a colon or rectal cancer is found?
- Most colorectal cancers are adenocarcinomas that begin as benign polyps in the lining of the colon or rectum. If a suspicious lesion is found at colonoscopy, biopsies confirm the diagnosis and staging scans follow. Treatment is typically surgical resection of the affected segment of colon or rectum — often laparoscopic or robotic (da Vinci / DaVinci) — sometimes combined with chemotherapy or, for rectal cancer, radiotherapy. Dr Marais will guide you through the multidisciplinary plan.
- Will I need a colostomy or ileostomy?
- Most colon and rectal resections are reconnected primarily and no stoma is needed. A temporary ileostomy is sometimes used after low rectal surgery to protect the join while it heals, and is reversed a few months later. A permanent colostomy is only required for very low rectal cancers or emergency presentations, and is discussed in detail before surgery.
- Can gastroscopy or colonoscopy be done in-rooms instead of in theatre?
- Yes, for straightforward cases. Dr Marais performs gastroscopy and colonoscopy in his consulting rooms at Johannesburg Surgical Hospital under light sedation when it is clinically safe to do so. It is quicker, avoids theatre and ward fees, and you go home the same day. Complex or higher-risk cases (significant cardiac or respiratory history, previous complicated anaesthesia, or anticipated therapeutic work) are booked into the main theatre for safety.
Discuss gastroscopy & colonoscopy with Dr Marais
Send a short enquiry and the practice will be in touch during weekday office hours. Consultations take place at Johannesburg Surgical Hospital.
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