Colonoscopy is a procedure used to see inside the colon and rectum. Colonoscopy can detect inflamed tissue, ulcers, and abnormal growths. The procedure is used to look for early signs of colorectal cancer and can help doctors diagnose unexplained changes in bowel habits, abdominal pain, bleeding from the anus, and weight loss.
Colonoscopy is a procedure that uses a long, flexible, narrow tube with a light and tiny camera on one end, called a colonoscope or scope, to look inside the rectum and entire colon. Colonoscopy can show irritated and swollen tissue, ulcers, and polyps—extra pieces of tissue that grow on the lining of the intestine. A gastroenterologist—a doctor who specializes in digestive diseases—performs this procedure.
This procedure is different from virtual colonoscopy, which uses a combination of x rays and computer technology to create images of the rectum and entire colon.
The rectum and colon are part of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, a series of hollow organs joined in a long, twisting tube from the mouth to the anus—a 1-inch-long opening through which stool leaves the body. The body digests food using the movement of muscles in the GI tract, along with the release of hormones and enzymes. Organs that make up the GI tract are the mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine—which includes the appendix, cecum, colon, and rectum—and anus. The intestines are sometimes called the bowel. The last part of the GI tract—called the lower GI tract—consists of the large intestine and anus.
The large intestine is about 5 feet long in adults and absorbs water and any remaining nutrients from partially digested food passed from the small intestine. The large intestine then changes waste from liquid to a solid matter called stool. Stool passes from the colon to the rectum. The rectum is 6 to 8 inches long in adults and is located between the last part of the colon—called the sigmoid colon—and the anus. The rectum stores stool prior to a bowel movement. During a bowel movement, stool moves from the rectum to the anus.
A colonoscopy is performed to help diagnose changes in:
A gastroenterologist also performs a colonoscopy as a screening test for colon cancer. Screening is testing for diseases when people have no symptoms. Screening may find diseases at an early stage, when a health care provider has a better chance of curing the disease.
The American College of Gastroenterology recommends screening for colon cancer
A gastroenterologist may recommend earlier screening for people with a family history of colon cancer, a personal history of inflammatory bowel disease—a long-lasting disorder that causes irritation and sores in the GI tract—or other risk factors for colon cancer. Medicare and private insurance companies sometimes change whether and how often they pay for cancer screening tests. People should check with their insurance company to find out how often they can get a screening colonoscopy that their insurance will cover.
Preparation for a colonoscopy includes the following steps:
At your interview, or with open access, we will review your medical conditions and all prescribed and over-the-counter medications, vitamins, and supplements you may be taking, including:
Arrange for a ride home after the procedure. Driving is not allowed for 24 hours after the procedure to allow time for the anesthesia to wear off.
Cleanse the bowel. We will give you written bowel prep instructions to follow at home. We order a bowel prep so that little to no stool is present inside your intestine. Stool inside the colon can prevent full visualization of the intestine. Instructions may include following a clear liquid diet for 1 to 3 days before the procedure and avoiding drinks that contain red or purple dye. The instructions will provide specific direction about when to start and stop the clear liquid diet.
People may drink or eat the following:
The person needs to take laxatives the night before a colonoscopy. A laxative is medication that loosens stool and increases bowel movements. Laxatives can cause diarrhea, so you should stay close to a bathroom during the bowel prep.
Laxatives are usually swallowed as a liquid, in pill form, or as a powder dissolved in water. Some people will need to drink a large amount, usually a gallon, of liquid laxative at scheduled times. People may find this part of the bowel prep difficult; however, it is very important to complete the prep. You should call us if you are having side effects that are preventing you from finishing the prep.
We perform colonoscopy at a hospital or an outpatient center. In most cases, light anesthesia and pain medication help people relax for the test. The medical staff will monitor people’s vital signs and try to make people as comfortable as possible. A nurse, or technician, places an intravenous (IV) needle in a vein in the arm to give anesthesia. For the test, the person will lie on a table and a colonoscope is inserted into the anus and slowly advanced through the rectum and into the colon. The scope inflates the large intestine with air to give a better view. The camera sends a video image of the intestinal lining to a computer screen. Once the scope has reached the opening to the small intestine, it is slowly withdrawn as the lining of the large intestine is examined.
Tissue samples and polyps can be removed during colonoscopy and sent to a lab for testing. Polyps are common in adults and are usually harmless. However, most colon cancer begins as a polyp, so removing polyps early is an effective way to prevent colon cancer.
After the colonoscopy, a person can expect the following:
A member of the health care team will review the discharge instructions with the person—or with an accompanying friend or family member if the person is still groggy—and provide a written copy. The person should follow all instructions given.
A friend or family member will need to drive the person home after the procedure.
If polyps are removed or a biopsy is performed, light bleeding from the anus is normal.
Some results from a colonoscopy are available immediately after the procedure. After the anesthesia has worn off, we will share results with the you. Biopsy results take a few days to come back.
The risks of colonoscopy include:
• bleeding
• perforation—a hole or tear in the lining of the colon
• diverticulitis—a condition that occurs when small pouches in the colon, called diverticula, become irritated, swollen, and infected
Bleeding and perforation are the most common complications from colonoscopy. Most cases of bleeding occur in people who have polyps removed. However, a person may have delayed bleeding up to 2 weeks after the test. Perforation may need to be treated with surgery. A study of screening colonoscopies found 2.1 serious complications per 1,000 procedures performed.
People who have any of the following symptoms after a colonoscopy should seek immediate medical attention:
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