The Purpose
Your colon contains the last portion of your digestive tract and the rectum. Also referred to as the large intestine, it begins where the small intestine ends. Occasionally you may experience symptoms that involve the colon, such as bleeding from the rectum, abdominal pain or persistent diarrhea. When these symptoms are not attributed to a specific diagnosis, a colonoscopy may be ordered by your doctor. While the most common purpose of a colonoscopy is to check for colon cancer, it is also used to check for, and treat, colon polyps, which are growths on the inside lining of the colon, according to the American Gastroenterological Association.
The Preparation
If your doctor has ordered a colonoscopy for you, you will need to spend 1 to 3 days in preparation. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases refers to this time as "bowel prep." During it, you can eat no solid foods or consume any drink that contains red or purple dye. Instead, the prep diet includes clear liquids and broths. The day before the procedure, you may be instructed to take a laxative and an enema to finish cleansing the colon. The tools for these procedures are often given to you by your physician during your last office visit before your colonoscopy, along with specific instructions. Arrange to have a friend or family member drive you home after the colonoscopy procedure.
The Procedure
For the colonoscopy procedure, you will strip down into a medical gown and remove all jewelry and eyewear. You may also be asked to remove dentures, if applicable. You will lay on a raised bed or table on your left side, with your knees curled up in fetal position. Your colonoscopy team consists of the gastroenterologist, who will be performing the procedure, a nurse, and an anesthesiologist who will administer the sedative and monitor your vital signs. According to the Medical University of South Carolina, in some facilities the nurse administers the sedative and monitors the vital signs. Some anesthesia will relax you while others will put you to sleep. Your physician will decide which one would be best in your situation.
Once you are sedated, the physician inserts a colonoscope into the rectum. This scope is a long, narrow tube with a camera attached to the end of it. This camera will send pictures back to a monitor that the physician is viewing. When the scope is inserted, a small amount of air will also be released into the colon to expand it. Expanding the colon allows the scope to move easily through the colon and gives the physician a better view of the colon walls. The tube travels slowly up the colon, all the way to the end where it meets the small intestine. Then, it is slowly withdrawn. The gastroenterologist gets a clear view of the colon while the colonoscope is progressing into, and out of, the colon. If colon polyps or growths are found, the doctor may take a biopsy, or remove them, to be sent to the lab for further testing. According to the Health Information Center at the Cleveland Clinic, the actual procedure takes approximately 30 to 60 minutes to complete.
Post-Procedure
After the physician has completed the colonoscopy, you will be sent to recovery where you will stay until you have fully come out from under the effects of the sedative. At this point, the doctor will also share the colonoscopy findings with you. He will let you know if anything abnormal was found or sent to the lab. At this point, you will be released if no complications, such as bleeding from the rectum, have arisen. The American Gastroenterological Association it is recommended that you rest for the remainder of the day, after the colonoscopy.
