FAQs on Colonoscopy and its Preparation

Q- What Is Colonoscopy?

Ans- Colonoscopy

Colonoscopy is a procedure that enables your doctor to examine the lining of the colon

 (large bowel) by inserting a flexible tube that is about the thickness of your finger into

 the anus and advancing it slowly into the rectum and colon.Colonoscopy is a procedure

 that enables your doctor to examine the lining of the colon (large bowel) by inserting a

 flexible tube that is about the thickness of your finger into the anus and advancing it slowly 

into the rectum and colon.

What preparation is required?

The colon must be completely clean for the procedure to be accurate and complete. The

 hospital will give you detailed instructions regarding the dietary restrictions to be followed 

and the cleansing routine to be used. Preparation consists of either drinking a large volume

 of a special cleansing solution or several days of clear liquids, laxatives, and enemas prior

 to the examination. Follow your doctor's instructions carefully. If you do not, the procedure

 may have to be cancelled and repeated later.

What about my current medications?

Most medications may be continued as usual, but some can interfere with the preparation

 or the examination. Please inform your doctor of your current medications as well as any 

allergies to medications several days prior to the examination. Aspirin products, anticoagulants

 (blood thinners), insulin, and iron products are examples whose use should be discussed with 

your doctor prior to the examination. You should alert your doctor if you require antibiotics prior

 to undergoing dental procedures, since you may need antibiotics prior to colonoscopy as well.

What can be expected during colonoscopy?

Colonoscopy is usually well tolerated and rarely causes much pain. There is often a feeling of 

pressure, bloating, or cramping at times during the procedure. Your doctor will give you medication

 through a vein to help you relax and better tolerate any discomfort. The colonoscopy is advanced 

slowly through the large intestine and the lining is carefully examined. The procedure usually takes

 15 to 60 minutes. In some cases, passage of the colonoscopy through the entire colon cannot be

 achieved. The doctor will decide if the limited examination is sufficient or if other examinations are

 necessary.

What if the colonoscopy shows something abnormal?

If your doctor thinks an area of the bowel needs to be evaluated in greater detail, a forceps

 instrument is passed through the colonoscopy to obtain a biopsy (a sample of the colon lining).

 If colonoscopy is being performed to identify sites of bleeding, the areas of bleeding may be 

controlled through the colonoscopy by injecting certain medications or by coagulation (sealing

 off bleeding vessels with heat treatment). If polyps are found, they are generally removed.

 None of these additional procedures typically produce pain. Remember, the biopsies are

 taken for many reasons and do not necessarily mean that cancer is suspected.

What are polyps and why are they removed?

Polyps are abnormal growths from the lining of the colon which vary in size from a tiny dot to

 several inches. The majority of polyps are benign (noncancerous) but the doctor cannot

 always tell a benign from a malignant (cancerous) polyp by its outer appearance alone. 

For this reason, removed polyps are sent for tissue analysis. Removal of colon polyps is 

an important means of preventing colorectal cancer.

How are polyps removed?

Tiny polyps may be totally destroyed by fulguration (burning), but larger polyps are removed

 by a technique called snare polypectomy. The doctor passes a wire loop (snare) through

 the colonoscopy and severs the attachment of the polyp from the intestinal wall by means 

of an electrical current. You should feel no pain during the polypectomy. There is a small

 risk that removing a polyp will cause bleeding or result in a burn to the wall of the colon, 

which could require emergency surgery.

What happens after a colonoscopy?

After colonoscopy, your doctor will explain the results to you. If you have been given

 medications during the procedure, someone must accompany you home from the

 procedure because of the sedation used during the examination. Even if you feel alert

 after the procedure, your judgment and reflexes may be impaired by the sedation for

 the rest of the day, making it unsafe for you to drive or operate any machinery.

What are the possible complications of colonoscopy?

• Colonoscopy and polypectomy are generally safe. One possible complication is a perforation
•  or tear through the bowel wall that could require surgery, although this is very uncommon.
• Bleeding may occur from the site of biopsy or polypectomy. It is usually minor and stops on
•  its own or can be controlled through the colonoscopy. Rarely, blood transfusions or surgery
•  may be required.
• Other potential risks include a reaction to the sedatives used and complications from heart
•  or lung disease.
• Localized irritation of the vein where medications were injected may rarely cause a tender
•  lump lasting for several weeks, but this will go away eventually. Applying hot packs or hot
•  moist towels may help relieve discomfort.