A colonoscopy is a procedure during which the lining of the large intestine
is examined. A small flexible tube is used. The procedure looks for abnormal
growths, ulcers, and inflamed tissue and is often used for rectal and colon cancer screening. It can also be used to check for causes of rectal bleeding,
abdominal pain, weight loss, or changes in bowel habits.
How do I prepare for a colonoscopy?
What happens during the colonoscopy?
What else can be done during a colonoscopy?
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Healthy & Normal Colon |
Colon with Malignant Polyp |
How Do I Prepare for a Colonoscopy?
Before the procedure, your gastroenterologist will give you instructions
that you must carefully follow. For the procedure to be accurate and safe, your
colon must be completely empty and clean. This often requires that you take
a large amount of a special cleansing solution, or a diet restricted to clear
liquids, without any food colorings. This diet may include fat-free broth or
bouillon, water, plain tea or coffee, some diet sodas, strained fruit juices,
and gelatin.
Before your procedure, be sure to let one of our gastroenterologists or a staff member know about any
medications you are taking, especially aspirin, arthritis medications, blood
thinners, any diabetes medicines, or vitamins that contain iron. You should
also alert them if you have any heart or lung disease or about any other medical
condition that may need special attention. Because you will be sedated during
the procedure, you will also need to arrange for someone to take you home after
it is completed. You may not take a taxi or bus home without an escort.
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What Happens During the Colonoscopy?
While a colonoscopy rarely causes any pain, your may be given a sedative to
help you relax. You will be asked to lie on your side or back, and your vital
signs will be monitored throughout the procedure. A long, thin, flexible tube
will then be slowly inserted in your rectum and guided into your colon. This
instrument, a colonoscope, transmits a picture onto a TV screen so that the gastroenterologist can examine the lining of your colon.
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The procedure can take anywhere from fifteen minutes to an hour to complete.
When the doctor has finished the examination of your colon, the colonoscope
is gently removed while the lining of your bowel is thoroughly examined. You
will then be left to rest at the facility for an hour so that the sedative can
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You will be given some post-procedure instructions, which you should read carefully.
You may have to avoid taking any blood thinners for a short time after the colonoscopy,
especially if any polyps were removed or a biopsy was performed. You should
expect full recovery from the procedure by the next day and you may normally
return to all your regular activities.
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What Else Can Be Done During a Colonoscopy?
In addition to examining the lining of your colon and bowel, we can
perform some other medical procedures during a colonoscopy. Tiny tools can be
passed through the scope, which can be used to remove polyps. These polyps are
abnormal growths that can appear on the lining of your colon. Most polyps are
not cancerous, but they can become cancerous over time. By identifying these
polyps and removing them, a colonoscopy can prevent most cancers from forming.
Other tissue samples can be removed from the colon during a colonoscopy as
well. These tissues can then be later examined in the lab for other diseases
or cancer in a biopsy. Any bleeding in the colon can also be corrected during
the colonoscopy through lasers, heater or electrical probes, or special medicines
that can be passed through the colonoscope. These procedures are usually painless,
and diagnosis and treatment during a colonoscopy can all be safely done without
the need for any hospitalization.
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