A colonoscopy is a test that allows your healthcare provider to see the inside of your colon and rectum. It also lets them remove polyps and cancers.
Before the procedure, talk to your doctor about any health problems you have and all medications, vitamins, or supplements you take. This information affects whether you can safely have Colonoscopy Phoenix and how well the procedure will go.
Preparation
If you’re suffering from abdominal pain, rectal bleeding, or chronic diarrhea, a gastroenterologist may recommend a colonoscopy to find out what’s going on in your large intestine (colon) and rectum. A colonoscopy is a procedure used to examine changes in the bowel tissue and for polyps, which are small growths that can be precancerous or cancerous. The procedure can also allow a doctor to remove the polyps and take samples for further testing.
A colonoscopy is usually done in a hospital or outpatient facility. Before the procedure, you’ll need to drink a series of laxatives to clean out your colon. This preparation is critical since any stool left behind could hide or cover up the polyps or tiny cancerous spots.
You’ll need to make sure you follow the exact instructions for the bowel prep. It’s also important to notify your physician if you have any serious health issues such as a pacemaker, a history of heart disease, or artificial joints. You should also let your doctor know if you’re taking any blood-thinning medicines like Eliquis, Warfarin, Heparin, or Xarelto, as they may need to be stopped before the test.
When you’re ready for the colonoscopy, you’ll lie down on a table while a tube, called a colonoscope, is inserted through your anus and into your rectum. A camera attached to the tip of the tube lets the doctor see your rectum and colon. You may feel a bit of gas pressure as the tube is pushed further into your colon to inflate it for better viewing. You won’t feel any pain, however, because the sedation medication will keep you relaxed and numb.
You’ll probably have to wait a few days to weeks for the results of your biopsy. If your gastroenterologist removed any polyps, the lab will need to send them away for further testing before they can tell you whether they’re cancerous or not. If they’re not, you won’t have to worry about them returning later on. However, if the tissue turns out to be cancerous, you’ll need to undergo further treatments like chemotherapy or surgery.
Procedure
The procedure for a colonoscopy is done in an outpatient setting, at the hospital or your doctor’s office. You will change into a hospital gown and your healthcare provider will insert an intravenous (IV) needle in your arm or hand to give you sedatives, anesthesia, or pain medicine. Because of the risks of sedation and anesthesia, you should arrange for someone to drive you home after the procedure, as it will take a while for the effects to wear off.
You will lie on the exam table with your knees drawn up toward your chest. Your doctor will then insert a long, flexible tube called a colonoscope into your rectum. The colonoscope has a light and a camera that sends real-time images to a monitor that your doctor can watch. The camera can also help your doctor see any polyps, abnormal outpouchings in the colon lining (diverticulosis), or narrowing of the intestines that can cause bowel obstruction (stenosis).
While you are lying on the examination table, your healthcare provider will pump air or carbon dioxide into your colon. This makes it easier to see the lining of your colon. Your doctor may also remove a small amount of tissue for biopsy during this time.
The results of the biopsy will not be available right away, as the doctor will need to send the sample to a lab for testing. Your gastroenterologist will call you with the results.
If your doctor finds polyps or other abnormalities, they will probably remove them during the colonoscopy. Most polyps are harmless and will not grow into cancer, but removing them can prevent colon cancer from developing in the future.
Your doctor will probably also use the colonoscope to remove a small amount of tissue for a biopsy during the test. The result of this will not be available right away, as the gastroenterologist will need to send the sample to a laboratory for testing. Your doctor will let you know the results of this testing within a few days to a few weeks.
Recovery
The preparation process for a colonoscopy can take weeks and involves drinking a special liquid diet of mostly clear liquids, including water, Gatorade, broth, and coffee without milk or creamer. Patients may also be asked to take a laxative. It’s important to follow these instructions carefully and be prepared for the test, as colonoscopies are more accurate when the large intestine is empty.
A health care professional inserts a small tube, or catheter, into an ostomy site on your lower abdomen and guides the colonoscope into your colon. The doctor checks the inside of your rectum, and a camera sends live video images to a monitor. The procedure usually takes 20 minutes, but if the doctor finds polyps to remove or treats during the procedure, it will take longer.
During the colonoscopy, a physician can take samples of tissue to be analyzed in a laboratory (a biopsy). The results of these are available within days or weeks. The doctor can also use the colonoscope to remove tiny growths, known as polyps, which are often benign and do not pose a serious risk of being cancerous. Polyps turn up in about 30% of colonoscopies, and it is standard procedure to remove them on sight. This can add 15 to 30 minutes to the procedure.
To help you prepare for your procedure, talk to your gastrointestinal (GI) doctor about any medical conditions and previous negative reactions to sedatives or anesthesia. Also talk about all the medications you take, including over-the-counter supplements and vitamins. The GI doctor can adjust your dosages or advise you to stop taking some in the days leading up to your procedure.
Be sure to make arrangements for a ride home after the procedure. Sedatives and anesthesia can affect your reaction time and judgment, so you will need someone to drive you home.
Follow-Up
A colonoscopy is a type of endoscopic examination of the large intestine (rectum). During a colonoscopy, a gastroenterologist inserts a long, thin, flexible tube called a colonoscope into the patient’s rectum. The tube is equipped with a video camera and light, which allow the doctor to see inside the bowels. The doctor can then remove polyps and other types of abnormal tissue. The procedure can also be used to diagnose and treat conditions like hemorrhoids.
A person’s colon is the large bowel that stretches from the mouth to about two-thirds of the way down the rectum. It’s an important part of the gastrointestinal tract because it digests unabsorbed food and water and produces short-chain fatty acids that help prevent colon diseases. The colon also reabsorbs and excretes many of the fluids that are lost in the stool.
The colon’s primary arteries are the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) and the inferior mesenteric artery (IMA). Both of these arteries branch into other arteries that supply different parts of the colon. The foregut, which includes the upper portion of the duodenum and the first two-thirds of the colon, is supplied by the SMA, while the midgut and hindgut are supplied by the IMA.
Infections can occur during a colonoscopy if the procedure is done incorrectly or if the doctor doesn’t sterilize properly. Infections can also happen if the doctor cuts too deep into the colon lining during a biopsy. A cut in the colon wall allows bacteria to enter deeper tissues and cause disease.
Screening colonoscopies are used to check for and remove polyps that can be cancerous. According to the Preventive Services Task Force, people aged 45 and older should begin screening with a blood test or a stool sample. People at higher risk of colorectal cancer should be screened earlier.
Diagnostic colonoscopies are usually performed to find the cause of gastrointestinal symptoms or an issue like anemia. They aren’t considered screenings, and insurance coverage and cost-sharing can be different. Typically, private insurance companies cover the costs of a colonoscopy that’s needed to diagnose or treat a disease or condition. Programs can help individuals without health insurance cover the cost of a diagnostic colonoscopy.