Information about Your Barium MealA barium meal is an X-ray examination of the oesophagus (gullet) and the stomach. What does it involve? A member of staff will ask you to undress

Information for patients

For more information about our Trust and the services we provide please visit our website: www.nlg.nhs.uk

Information about Your Barium Meal

Name: ________________________________

Who to contact and how: ________________________________

Notes: ________________________________ ________________________________ ________________________________ ________________________________ ________________________________

Scunthorpe General Hospital Cliff Gardens Scunthorpe DN15 7BH

03033 306999 www.nlg.nhs.uk

Goole & District Hospital Woodland Avenue Goole DN14 6RX


Diana, Princess of Wales Scartho Road Grimsby DN33 2BA




Introduction We have received a request from your referring doctor for you to have a Barium Meal. This leaflet is designed to give you some information about the procedure, to help you prepare for your examination and to give you some idea of what to expect when you attend.

What is a Barium Meal? A barium meal is an X-ray examination of the oesophagus (gullet) and the stomach.

What does it involve? A member of staff will ask you to undress and put on a hospital gown.

You will be given an injection in the vein to relax the stomach muscles.

You will be asked to swallow some sour, fizzy paste, followed by liquid barium.

You will stand or sit in front of the X-ray machine and a series of pictures will be taken. Then the table may be laid flat during the examination and further pictures taken with you in the lying position.

Before You Come for Your Appointment DO NOT take any oral medication until after the exa mination. Please contact the radiology department for an early appointment if yo u rely on medication.

DO NOT eat or drink for 6 hours prior to the examin ation.

Preparation If you have allergies, please contact the department before attending.

Diabetic Patients Please ring the department if you are diabetic as we will try where possible to give an early morning appointment:

Scunthorpe Radiology – 03033 302418

Grimsby Radiology – 03033 304325

Women of Childbearing Age Please inform us before you attend if there is any chance that you could be pregnant, or are breastfeeding.

Who will do the examination? A radiologist (X-ray doctor) will carry out the procedure aided by a radiographer and a nurse.



How long will it take? You may be in the department for half an hour. But please be patient if any emergencies arise.

Should I bring somebody with me? You do not need to bring anybody, but it is fine to do so if you prefer.

Please note – we have a limited waiting area, so if you bring more than one person, they may not be able to sit with you – they may need to sit in our main waiting room.

What happens next? A member of staff will advise you when you can leave the department.

How will I get my results? A report will be sent to the doctor who requested the procedure within two weeks of the procedure.

How can you help us? If you are unable to attend for whatever reason, please inform the department so that your appointment can be offered to another patient.

If you are admitted into hospital please inform the ward staff of this appointment.

Wherever possible we will try to make an appointment at a time that suits you; please note certain procedures can only be done at specific times, but we will do our best to accommodate you where possible.

Benefits and Risks This type of examination allows the doctors to see inside your body, which will help them diagnose and treat your complaint.

The fluoroscopy equipment uses X-rays to get the pictures. This is a form of radiation similar to what you would have at an airport, or the background radiation you receive from flying. Because it is a higher dose than ordinary X-rays, we try to limit the amount of examinations of this type you will have.

The doctors take this into account when they decide what investigations you need, and you have been sent for this appointment because the doctor feels that it is the best test for you and your condition.

Contact Details If you have any queries about the examination please contact the radiology department on:

Scunthorpe Radiology – 03033 302418

Grimsby Radiology – 03033 304325



Any Comments, Compliments, Concerns or Complaints If you have any other concerns please talk to your nurse, therapist or doctor. Our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) are available on 03033 306518 (Grimsby, Scunthorpe and Goole). You can also contact [email protected]

As a Trust we value equality of access to our information and services, therefore alternative formats available on request at [email protected]

Date of Issue: January, 2019

Review Period: January, 2022

Author: Radiology Department

IFP-0169 v2.2

© NLGFT 2019

Documents

Information about Your Barium MealA barium meal is an X-ray examination of the oesophagus (gullet) and the stomach. What does it involve? A member of staff will ask you to undress