Colonoscopy allows the doctor to insert a small, flexible tube as thick as the finger in your anus and gradually travel through the rectum and colon to explore the lining of your large intestine (colon). A colonoscopy, this device has a lens and a light source and can view pictures on video monitor from your physician.

Preparation for Colonoscopy

Your healthcare professional will inform you what diets and cleaning procedures to follow. Normally, your diet is limited to clear liquids the day before and you drink a significant quantity of a special cleaning solution or special laxatives. In order to make the procedure exact and complete, the colon must be totally clean, so be sure to carefully follow the directives of your doctor.

During Colonoscopy

This is well handled and never causes severe discomfort. During the treatment, you can feel pain, bloating or cramping. Your doctor normally gives you a sedative to help you relax and withstand any stressful conditions. You must lie sideways and backwards, as a colonoscope around your large intestine is advanced in your doctor's case to inspect the lining. Your doctor must re-examine the lining while he or she removes a colonoscope gradually. It takes usually less than 45 minutes for the operation itself so you should be able to wait, brace and recover for two to three hours. In certain cases, the doctor cannot move the colonoscope to the small intestine via the whole colon. The physician will inform you if further testing is needed.

Polyp and Removal

Polyps are irregular (noncancerous) growths in the colon lining. The scale ranges from small to several centimeters. From its outward appearance, the doctor cannot always say a benign polyp of a malignant (cancerous) polyp, so it typically deletes polyps for examination. Disposal of cancer is an effective means of prevention of colorectal cancer since it starts with polyps.

By burning or extracting it using wire loops known as snares or biopsy tools, your doctor can remove tiny polyps. A procedure called "snare polypectomy" would be used by your doctor to remove big polyps. Your doctor will pass a wire circuit through the colonoscope and use electrical current to remove polyps from the intestinal wall. During polypectomy, you will feel no discomfort.

Benefits

Colonoscopy helps detecting the colon cancer. One in 20 Americans experiences colon cancer and colonoscopy is the most effective method of treatment, prevention and diagnosis. No other screening of colon cancer is as accurate and comprehensive.

During a colonoscopy, polyps can be removed. Most cancer of the colon grows by polyps, tumors of the flesh that begin to be benign but may grow cancerous. Your doctor can remove suspicious polyps during a colonoscopy to prevent cancer.

Bloody lesions can be identified by colonoscopy. In several different areas of the colon, bleeding lesions can be present. A colonoscopy removes the colon from the rectum to the cecum and the lesions can be seen during the examination.

You can call Digestive Disease Specialist Inc. for colonoscopy in OKC.

**Disclaimer: This blog content does not offer a doctor's advice and creates no relationship between any patient and care provider.