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Colonoscopy
Until recently, flexible sigmoidoscopy
was the way we performed screening examinations for colon (large intestinal)
cancer. Sigmoidoscopy coupled with stool Hemoccult testing, which is testing
for blood in the stool, was the standard of care. Recently, most organizations
have accepted the fact that the appropriate screening should entail viewing
the entire colon. There are many ways of doing this, including barium
enema, colonoscopy, and newer techniques that are not yet commonly available.
Colonoscopy entails taking a very flexible, thin, lighted instrument,
very gently passing it around the entire colon, otherwise known as the
large intestine.
About Colonoscopy
During this examination we look for any abnormalities, redness, irritation,
or polyps, and appropriate measures are taken to determine why the irritation
exists, or in fact to remove the polyps. The advantage of colonoscopy
over barium enema, virtual colonoscopy, and other methods of viewing the
colon, is that at the time of the examination, the colon is both examined,
biopsies may be taken if necessary, and the removal of polyps, or small
groups within the colon, can be performed.
It is often suggested that everybody over the age of 50 have a colonoscopy.
If it's normal, it should be repeated every 5 to 10 years thereafter.
Typically, a colonoscopy takes between 10 and 15 minutes. Most patients
choose to get sedation for the examination so that they're sleepy if not
asleep, but there certainly are some patients who prefer no sedation.
The advantage of getting sedation is that one is comfortable, and certainly
the anxiety is less.
The morning of the examination, the patient comes to the facility, typically
a friend or family member is available to drive them home. The duration
of stay, including the examination, the preparation just before the examination
including the nurses taking the patient's history, and the recovery, is
between 1 and 2 hours. We ask patients to plan their days accordingly.
We make every attempt to contact the patient with laboratory results as
soon as they become available. Generally this takes 4 to 5 days. At that
time we tell them when they need to have a colonoscopy performed again.
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