Colonoscopy

Colonoscopy is an outpatient procedure in which your large bowel (colon and rectum) is examined. It can detect inflamed tissue, ulcers, and abnormal growths.

Why is it done?

A colonoscopy may be used to evaluate many problems, including:

• Abdominal pain
• Anemia (low red blood cells)
• Blood in the stool
• Change in bowel habits
• creen for colon cancer
• Unexplained weight loss

How is it done?

In preparation for a colonoscopy, all solids must be emptied from the gastrointestinal tract by following a clear liquid diet for 1 to 3 days before colonoscopy.

During the colonoscopy, a sedative, and possibly pain medication, help keep patients relaxed. A doctor can remove polyps and biopsy abnormal-looking tissues during colonoscopy.

Patients lay on their left side on an examination table. In most cases, a light sedative, and possibly pain medication, helps keep patients relaxed. The doctor inserts a flexible, lighted tube called a colonoscope, or scope, and slowly guides it through the rectum and into the colon. The scope inflates the large intestine with carbon dioxide gas to give the doctor a better view.

A small camera mounted on the scope transmits a video image from inside the large intestine to a computer screen, allowing the doctor to carefully examine the intestinal lining. The doctor may ask the patient to move periodically so the scope can be adjusted for better viewing.

Who is a candidate for a colonoscopy?

If you are 50 or older, it is important to speak with your EliteHealth physician about colonoscopy.

Routine colonoscopy to look for early signs of cancer should begin at age 50 for most people—earlier if there is a family history of colorectal cancer