Tube Oesophagram

A Tube Oesophagram is a test to investigate your child’s oesophagus (food pipe).

If you are unable to keep this appointment, please inform the department as soon as possible.

If your child is likely to need a hoist during the appointment, please telephone us so that we can make sure this is ready for you.

If you are pregnant or think you could be pregnant, please let us know. The x-rays used in the fluoroscopy scan could harm your unborn baby, so we would advise bringing another adult to come into the scanning room with your child.

If your child is 12 years old or older and of childbearing potential, we will ask them about their periods and any possibility that they could be pregnant; this is a legal obligation that we must ask.

The person bringing your child to the scan should have ‘Parental Responsibility’ for them. Parental Responsibility refers to the individual who has legal rights, responsibilities, duties, power and authority to make decisions for a child. If the person bringing your child does not have Parental Responsibility, we may have to cancel the scan.

• It can help if your child has a favourite toy to hold to comfort them during the study. Electronic devices such as iPads are welcome.
• You might want to bring some spare clothes in case any of the contrast liquid spills.

Please dress your child in clothing which does not contain metal, for example zips and buttons

Arrive at the Radiology department at the time stated in your child’s appointment letter.

You are welcome to stay with your child throughout the test. Everyone staying inside the examination room will need to wear a lead coat.

Your child will be awake for this test.

This test is usually done to look for a connection between the food-pipe (oesophagus) and wind-pipe (trachea). The doctor performing the test (the Radiologist) will look at your child’s history and decide how to do the test, and they will discuss this with you. Often, the information needed can be obtained by taking ‘live’ x-rays as your child swallows a liquid called a contrast agent, with the child lying on their side. However, sometimes this is not possible (particularly in babies), or it is carried out, but the pictures don’t show what is needed well enough. This is when an oesophagram is performed.

In an oesophagram, a feeding tube is passed through your child’s nostril and positioned in the oesophagus. The contrast agent is then injected through the tube into the oesophagus whilst x-rays are taken. The pictures may be taken with your child in a variety of positions, typically lying on both sides and sometimes lying on their front. The radiologist may also inject the contrast agent whilst they slowly pull the tube up the oesophagus in order to show all of it.

Once the test is complete you will be free to go.

A report outlining the results of the procedure will be sent to the doctor who referred your child for this test. You or your child will receive the results from your referring doctor.

The liquid will not interfere with any medicines your child is taking.

It is our legal duty to tell you about the potential risk of having a fluoroscopy study. The studies are only ever requested if the benefits outweigh the risks involved. The study does use radiation, but the dose is kept as low as possible. This is because the radiographers are specially trained to obtain the best quality pictures while using the lowest amount of radiation possible.

Anyone staying in the room with your child will need to wear a lead apron – this works as a barrier to radiation. We advise that anyone who is pregnant or thinks they might be pregnant should not go into the room.

A small amount of contrast may enter your child’s respiratory system and cause them to cough; this may be because there is an abnormal connection between the oesophagus and the trachea, or because contrast spills into the airway from the top of the oesophagus. If this happens, usually the child will cough and clear the liquid that has gone the wrong way. Rarely, larger amounts of contrast may make it difficult for your child to breath, meaning they might require extra medical support. Your child will be carefully monitored during the test to make sure they are safe, and we have medical and nursing teams standing by to help as needed.

Endoscopy (oesophagoscopy and bronchoscopy) can be used to visualise the oesophagus and trachea. Endoscopy can show an abnormal connection between the oesophagus and trachea and other problems, but endoscopy tests are quite invasive, and usually require sedation. In addition, they can miss small connections. The doctor who referred your child for this test will usually have considered the alternatives before selecting the right test.

If you have any questions, please telephone the Radiology department on 020 7829 8615, extension 0361.

If your child feels unwell after the test, please phone NHS 111 or attend your local Urgent Care Centre or Emergency Department.

We take all feedback very seriously and want to hear about your experiences on Kingfisher Ward. Your feedback helps us to understand what we are doing well but importantly how we can improve. We will give you a feedback card but if you haven’t received one, please ask a member of staff. You can also provide feedback via our website.

We know we do not always get things right. As explained above, please do raise any queries or issues with the ward staff in the first instance. We want to help and often we are able to resolve things quickly.

Another way of raising a concern is to contact our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (Pals). The Pals team can offer independent advice and support, working with you to sort out a problem along with members of staff.

They are based in the main reception area and open from Monday to Friday from 10am to 5pm. You can also call them on 020 7829 7862 or email pals@gosh.nhs.uk.

The Complaints team are also available if you want to make a complaint. To contact them phone 020 7813 8402 or email complaints@gosh.nhs.uk.

If you require a copy of this information in a different format or language, please contact the Pals team for assistance.