Culture of duodenal tissue biopsy

Alternative names:

duodenal contents - culture

How the test is performed:

A special tube is inserted through your nose or mouth, and your feet are elevated so that the movements of the intestine will move the tube into the duodenum. When the tube is in place, contents from the duodenum are removed by suction. After the sample is taken, the tube is removed slowly until it reaches the esophagus and then it is removed quickly.

How to prepare for the test:

You are restricted from food and fluids 12 hours before the test. Emptying your bladder before the test will help increase the comfort of the test.

Infants and children:
The physical and psychological preparation you can provide for this or any test or procedure depends on your child's age, interests, previous experience, and level of trust. For specific information regarding how you can prepare your child, see the following topics as they correspond to your child's age:

• infant test or procedure preparation (birth to 1 year)
• toddler test or procedure preparation (1 to 3 years)
• preschooler test or procedure preparation (3 to 6 years)
• schoolage test or procedure preparation (6 to 12 years)
• adolescent test or procedure preparation (12 to 18 years)

How the test will feel:

The test may be somewhat uncomfortable. The passage of the tube may produce a gag reflex.

Why the test is performed:

The test is used to rule out bacterial infection as the cause of persistent nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and epigastric (the upper central region of the abdomen) pain. The test is used to differentiate between infection and gallstones and to detect bacterial infection in the biliary (liver secretion) tract and duodenum.