Pediatric Transnasal Endoscopy Program

Unsedated transnasal endoscopy (TNE) is a procedure that can biopsy the gastrointestinal (GI) tract without needing sedation.

In a typical endoscopy, a patient is brought to the operating room and given anesthesia to go to sleep. Once asleep, a camera is inserted through the mouth and into the GI tract. Once the procedure is over, the patient recovers in the post-anesthesia unit until they are ready to go home. Although the endoscopy itself is short, the whole experience usually takes several hours, requires at least a few hours of not eating or drinking, and requires anesthesia to complete.

During a transnasal endoscopy, a smaller camera is used to enter through the nose and then into the GI tract. Before the procedure starts, a numbing spray is applied to the nose and mouth. The patient then wears a pair of VR goggles and watches a show or movie. The procedure is then performed, typically taking 10 to 20 minutes. Once the needed biopsies are obtained, the patient is able to go home.

Although this procedure isn’t for everyone, there are a lot of advantages to a TNE compared to a traditional endoscopy. For instance, With TNE, there is no need for IVs, sedation, or recovery time. Patients only fast for 2 hours before the procedure and can eat or drink right after. They can also return to normal activities as soon as they feel ready, without missing a whole school day or afternoon of extracurricular activities.

Yale is the only hospital in Connecticut performing this procedure, and it was one of the first programs in the country to do so.