Before a colonoscopy, let your doctor know about any special medical conditions
- Pregnancy
- Lung conditions
- Allergies to any medications
Colonoscopy Procedure & Preparation
It is imperative that your colon is completely clean before the test. In the colonoscopy preparation phase, you will usually be drinking cleansing solution, laxative or taking enema as suggested by the doctor for you. You must also inform the doctor about any allergies and medicines you take.
Procedure
- Your vitals will be recorded along with adding an IV for sedatives to ease the procedure for you. To begin with the process you will lie on your side or the back
- A four foot long and roughly half inch think colonoscope is inserted in your body through the anus
- The colonoscope moves gradually inside the large intestine until it reaches the tip of the small intestine
- The colonoscope is removed slowly and the inner lining of the large intestine is examined in the process. The process usually takes around an hour maximum
Why Colonoscopy Test?
Colonoscopy mainly acts as a screening tool for colon cancer. Other than that, it can be used to examine causes of diarrhea, bloody stool, pain in the abdomen or abnormal CT scans of the colon. It can also be part of a routine check-up for individuals who have a family history of polyps and other cancers. If polyps are detected during the colonoscopy test, they can be removed during the test itself. In case of other suspected abnormalities, tissue sample is taken from the colon for further examination in laboratory.
Risks and Alternatives
Sometimes during biopsy bleeding occurs but it is quite non-harmful. If at any point, you feel discomfort after the colonoscopy has been completed, you must inform the doctor immediately. Some signs of discomfort include pain, fever, bleeding etc.
An alternative to colonoscopy is Flexible Sigmoidoscopy wherein only a small part of the colon is examined and not its entire length. Virtual colonoscopy is another alternative in which CT scanning provides images of the colon which construct a virtual image. Colon is inflated in the virtual method using a tube and the scans are collected and analyzed. However, the technique is not useful to identify and remove small polyps.
If you are wondering where to find a center for colonoscopy near me, book an appointment at Mission Gastro Hospital with globally renowned Dr. Chirag Shah.
