Colonoscopy

What’s a colonoscopy?

Colonoscopy is a process that lets your healthcare supplier test the within of your complete giant gut or colon.

The process is finished utilizing an extended, versatile tube (colonoscope). The tube has a lightweight and tiny digicam on one finish. It’s put in your rectum and moved into your colon.

Along with letting your healthcare supplier see the within of your colon, the tube can be utilized to:

• • Clear the liner of your colon with a water jet (irrigate)  

• • Take away any liquid stool with a suction machine  

• • Inject air or carbon dioxide in your bowel to make it simpler to see inside  

• • Work inside your bowel with surgical instruments  

Throughout a colonoscopy, your healthcare supplier could take away tissue or irregular growths (polyps) for additional examination. Your healthcare supplier may be capable of deal with issues which might be discovered.

The big gut or colon is the final a part of your digestive system. It absorbs water to vary waste from liquid to stable stool. The big gut is about 5 ft lengthy in adults. It has 4 sections:

• • Cecum and ascending colon. This extends upward on the appropriate facet of your stomach.  

• • Transverse colon. This extends from the ascending colon throughout your physique to the left facet.  

• • Descending colon. This extends from the transverse colon downward in your left facet.  

• • Sigmoid colon. That is named due to its S-shape. It extends from the descending colon to your rectum.  

The rectum joins the anus. That is the opening the place stool passes out of your physique.

Why would possibly I want a colonoscopy?

Colonoscopy can assist your healthcare supplier search for issues in your colon. These embody:

Colonoscopy can also be used to display for colorectal most cancers. Screening means searching for most cancers in individuals who don’t have any signs of the illness. Screening for colorectal most cancers is advisable in adults beginning at age 45.

A colonoscopy could also be used to test for and, if wanted, deal with issues resembling:

• • Colon polyps  

• • Tumors  

• • Ulceration  

• • Redness or swelling (irritation)  

• • Pouches (diverticula) alongside the colon wall  

• • Narrowed areas (strictures) of the colon  

• • Any objects that is likely to be within the colon  

It might even be used to seek out the reason for unexplained, long-term (persistent) diarrhea or bleeding within the GI (gastrointestinal) tract. It can be used to test the colon after most cancers therapy.

Colonoscopy could also be used when different assessments (resembling a barium enema, CT colonography, assessments for blood in stool, stool DNA assessments, or sigmoidoscopy) present the necessity for extra testing.

Your healthcare supplier could produce other causes to advise a colonoscopy.

What are the dangers of a colonoscopy?

All procedures have dangers. Some attainable dangers of this process embody:

• • Continued bleeding after tissue pattern (biopsy) or polyp removing  

• • Nausea, vomiting, bloating, or rectal irritation brought on by the process or by the bowel cleaning that’s achieved earlier than  

• • Dangerous response to ache medication or the drugs used to calm down you (sedative)  

• • A gap punched by way of (perforation of) the intestinal wall, which is uncommon  

You could have different dangers, relying in your situation. Talk about any considerations together with your healthcare supplier earlier than the process.

How do I prepare for a colonoscopy?

• • Your healthcare supplier will clarify the process to you. Ask any questions you’ve.  

• • You may be requested to signal a consent type that provides permission for the process. Learn the shape rigorously and ask questions if something will not be clear.  

• • Observe any instructions you might be given for not consuming or ingesting earlier than the process. Chances are you’ll be given extra directions a couple of particular eating regimen to comply with for 1 or 2 days earlier than the process. It’s completely necessary to comply with your specific directions rigorously. Or the process shall be canceled. Doing so additionally makes certain it’s a secure and efficient take a look at.  

• • Inform your healthcare supplier if you’re delicate to or allergic to any medicines, latex, tape, or anesthesia medicines (native and basic).  

• • Inform your healthcare supplier about all of the medicines you’re taking. This contains each over-the-counter and prescription medicines. It additionally contains nutritional vitamins, herbs, and different dietary supplements.  

• • Inform your healthcare supplier if in case you have a historical past of bleeding issues. Let your healthcare supplier know if you’re taking any blood-thinning medicines, aspirin, ibuprofen, or different medicines that have an effect on blood clotting. Chances are you’ll have to cease taking these medicines earlier than the process.  

• • Inform your healthcare supplier if you’re pregnant or assume it’s possible you’ll be pregnant.  

• • Your healthcare supplier offers you directions on how one can put together your bowel for the take a look at. Generally it’s possible you’ll be requested to take a laxative, an enema, or a rectal laxative suppository. You’ll have to drink a particular fluid or take a particular laxative prep by capsules to assist clear out your colon. Your colon should be totally clear for a superb, full analysis.  

• • In case you have a coronary heart valve illness, it’s possible you’ll be given disease-fighting medicines (antibiotics) earlier than the process.  

• • You may be given a medication to calm down you (a sedative) earlier than the process. Generally ache medication is given. These medicines are given by way of an IV (intravenous) catheter into your blood. Somebody should drive you house.  

• • Observe another instructions your healthcare supplier provides you to prepare.  

What occurs throughout a colonoscopy?

You could have a colonoscopy as an outpatient. This implies you go house the identical day. Or it might be achieved as a part of a hospital keep. The way in which the take a look at is finished could range relying in your situation and your healthcare supplier’s practices.

Usually, the colonoscopy follows this course of:

1. You may be requested to take away any jewellery or different objects that may get in the best way through the process.  
2. An IV (intravenous) line shall be inserted in your arm or hand. A sedative or a ache medication shall be injected into the IV.  
3. Chances are you’ll be requested to take away your clothes. In that case, you’ll be given a robe to put on.  
4. You may be given oxygen to breathe in.  
5. Your coronary heart price, blood stress, respiratory price, and oxygen degree shall be checked through the process.  
6. You may be requested to lie in your left facet together with your knees pulled up towards your chest.  
7. A greased (lubricated) tube shall be put into your anus and moved into your rectum and colon. Chances are you’ll really feel delicate ache, stress, or cramping through the process. A sedative is used to scale back your discomfort.  
8. Relying on the kind of anesthesia used, it’s possible you’ll be fully asleep through the process. If awake, it’s possible you’ll be requested to take gradual, deep breaths whereas the tube is being inserted. This helps to calm down your belly muscle groups and reduce the discomfort. You may additionally be requested to vary your place to assist the tube go by way of.  
9. Air or carbon dioxide could also be injected into your bowel. This may increasingly make it simpler to see the within surfaces. A water jet may be used to wash the liner of your colon. A suction machine could also be used to take away any liquid stool.  
10. The healthcare supplier will test your colon and should take pictures or a video. If a polyp is seen, it might be taken out. Or it might be left there till one other process is finished. If there are abnormalities, the supplier could take a tissue pattern (biopsy). Different therapies might be achieved throughout a colonoscopy relying in your particular case.  
11. After the process is over, the tube shall be taken out.  

What occurs after a colonoscopy?

After the process, you’ll be taken to the restoration room to be watched. Your restoration course of will depend upon the kind of sedative you had. As soon as your blood stress, pulse, and respiration are secure and you might be awake and alert, you’ll be taken to your hospital room. Or it’s possible you’ll be discharged to your own home. You won’t be able to drive when you’ve had anesthesia. Plan to have somebody obtainable to drive you house.

You possibly can typically eat no matter you’re feeling you may tolerate after the process. Some folks begin with small, bland meals. Some folks don’t.

Chances are you’ll go fuel (be flatulent) and really feel fuel pains after the process. That is regular. Strolling and shifting about could assist to ease any delicate ache.

You shouldn’t drink alcohol for not less than 24 hours. Chances are you’ll be requested to drink additional fluids to make up for the water you misplaced as you bought prepared for the process.

Inform your healthcare supplier if in case you have any of the next:

• • Fever or chills  

• • Frequent bloody stools  

• • Stomach ache or swelling  

• • Your stomach feels laborious  

• • Not capable of go fuel  

Your healthcare supplier could offer you different directions, relying in your scenario.

Subsequent steps

Earlier than you conform to the take a look at or the process, be sure to know:

• • The title of the take a look at or process  

• • The rationale you might be having the take a look at or process  

• • What outcomes to anticipate and what they imply  

• • The dangers and advantages of the take a look at or process  

• • What the attainable unwanted side effects or issues are  

• • When and the place you might be to have the take a look at or process  

• • Who will do the take a look at or process and what that particular person’s {qualifications} are  

• • What would occur when you didn’t have the take a look at or process  

• • Any different assessments or procedures to consider  

• • When and the way you’re going to get the outcomes  

• • Who to name after the take a look at or process if in case you have questions or issues  

• • How a lot you’ll have to pay for the take a look at or process