A colonoscopy is a procedure that lets your health care provider check the inside of your entire colon (large intestine). The procedure is done using a long, flexible tube called a colonoscope.
Colonoscopy (koh-luh-NAH-skuh-pee) lets the physician look inside your entire large intestine, from the lowest part, the rectum, all the way up through the colon to the lower end of the small intestine. The procedure is used as a tool for routine colon cancer screening and prevention in people beginning at age 45.
The doctor will look carefully at the inner walls of the colon and rectum as the colonoscope is slowly removed. If a small polyp is found, it may be removed and then sent to a lab to check if it has any areas that have cancer. This is because some small polyps may become cancer over time.
A colonoscopy looks at the whole of the inside of your large bowel. An endoscopist (a specially trained healthcare professional) uses a flexible tube called a colonoscope. The tube has a small light and camera at one end. The endoscopist puts the tube into your back passage and passes it along the bowel.
As often as 40% of the time, a precancerous polyp — frequently a type called an adenoma — is found during a screening colonoscopy. Colon cancer is found during only in about 40 out of 10,000 screening colonoscopies, Dr. Sand said.
The most likely result of a colonoscopy that shows up with abnormal findings is the presence of polyps. These are growths that can be found in the colon. In most cases these polyps are benign, but they do have the possibility of becoming cancerous.
In the new study, the test missed just about every cancer in the right side of the colon, where cancers are harder to detect but about 40 percent arise. And it also missed roughly a third of cancers in the left side of the colon.
Passing mostly clear or only a light color, including yellow, is a sign your colon is clean enough for an accurate examination.
After having a colonoscopy, it's normal for bowel movements to be irregular at first. You may notice loose bowels, which can be a side effect of the medication used during the test.
It's normal to feel bloated and gassy after the procedure; abdominal cramping may also occur. You'll be encouraged to pass gas to help reduce bloating. You may pass liquid and/or liquid stool after your colonoscopy but, within one to five days, your bowel movements should return to normal.
The prep is the hardest part. Colon cancer screenings save lives, but many people are nervous about getting colonoscopies.
Loops or angulation in the colon are possibly the most common patient-related source of difficulty. Some bends require additional skill to navigate. Loops, particularly in the sigmoid colon, can result in loss of control of the endoscope as well as patient discomfort.
Usually if a suspected colorectal cancer is found by any screening or diagnostic test, it is biopsied during a colonoscopy. In a biopsy, the doctor removes a small piece of tissue with a special instrument passed through the scope. Less often, part of the colon may need to be surgically removed to make the diagnosis.
A colonoscopy is similar to the traditional endoscopy described above, except that the endoscope enters the body through the anus and rectum into the colon and lower part of the small bowel.
What if I've taken all my preparation and am still passing solid stool on the day of my exam? In this case, your procedure will need to be rescheduled. You may be prescribed a different preparation for your next procedure. Please call the triage nurse to reschedule your procedure with a different preparation.
The medicine you received during the procedure may stay in your body for up to 24 hours. You may feel tired or sleepy and have difficulty concentrating. Once you get home, relax for the rest of the day.
DRINK LOTS OF FLUIDS: It is very important to stay well hydrated during your bowel preparation process. The more liquids you drink, the better you will feel.
Studies have indicated that colonoscopies done during the morning hours have actually contributed to more accurate findings due to a number of varying factors. Although it might not be a thrill to wake up earlier than usual, it could just help your overall health.
Will I be up all night with colonoscopy prep? Probably not, if you start on time. While everyone's body is different, most people are able to complete their round of purging before going to sleep for the night.
The test can be used to diagnose diverticular disease in people who have symptoms. Colonoscopies are also commonly used as a screening tool for colon cancer. In fact, many people are unexpectedly diagnosed with diverticular disease as a result of a routine colonoscopy.
Gastroenterologists almost always recommend a colonoscopy to diagnose Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. This test provides live video images of the colon and rectum and enables the doctor to examine the intestinal lining for inflammation, ulcers, and other signs of IBD.
Conclusion: Combined colonoscopy and multiple (3 quadrant) synchronous hemorrhoidal ligation is a safe and effective method of treating symptomatic internal hemorrhoids.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) can not be diagnosed by colonoscopy, but if your doctor suspects you have IBS he will do a colonoscopy to make sure there is nothing else going on. People with IBS appear to have sensitive bowels that are easily 'upset'.
So, the more polyps you have, the higher your cancer risk. Someone with just one or two small polyps is generally at lower risk of having or developing colon cancer than someone with three to nine, or more.