The Procedure
A colonoscopy is a procedure that allows the doctor to see inside the parts of the large intestine. With the patient under partial or full sedation, the surgeon inserts a colonoscope. The scope is long and flexible and is lit for effective viewing. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) reports that when the tube is inserted, it also releases carbon dioxide gas to expand the colon. Also on this tube is a small camera that sends images from inside the colon back to a monitor that the doctor is watching. He is looking for signs of anything abnormal, such as polyps or growths within the large intestine. The physician examines the lining when the tube is inserted and again when it is withdrawn.
The Purpose
The most common purpose for a colonoscopy is to check for colon cancer. The NIH states that through this procedure a doctor can detect growths, polyps, inflammation and even ulcers that may lie within the colon. The test is often performed if a patient has symptoms of rectal bleeding, extreme changes in bowel movements or abdominal pain that has not been diagnosed through other methods.
How Often?
If you are healthy and have had no symptoms that would alert you to be screened for colon cancer, the standard recommendation as noted by the Mayo Clinic is to have a colonoscopy at 50 years of age. If the results are normal, your doctor will probably not recommend another screening for ten years. If you have small polyps, a follow-up colonoscopy should be performed within five years. Several polyps may require a three year follow-up. If results are found that indicate abnormal cells or growth that indicate cancer, your doctor may request another colonoscopy within three to six months, and then repeat them yearly.
According to the "Journal of the American Medical Association," once a patient reaches 80, the doctor needs to weigh the benefits of a colonoscopy against the risks. If there have been no abnormal test results, and the patient is experiencing no adverse symptoms, he will more than likely not recommend further colonoscopies.
If you are genetically predisposed to colon cancer, or have a family history of it, the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute recommends a colonoscopy every two years beginning in your 20s, and then once a year after age 40. Based upon your family history, symptoms and general overall health, your physician will ultimately make the determination of how often you should undergo a colonoscopy.
