Colonoscopies are commonly used to examine patients for polyps in their colons. Polyp detection is important because colon polyps can be a precursor for colon cancer. Consequently, colonoscopies should be done regularly (approximately once a year) by a trained professional for patients over the age of 50. In addition, patients with abdominal pain, rectal bleeding, or constipation may need a colonoscopy to determine if the symptoms are caused by a colon blockage. Colonoscopies are performed using a thin flexible tube with a camera that can give video images of the inside of the colon and rectum.
Step 1
Have the patient avoid meat (especially red meat) the day before the procedure and take a laxative. This will help keep the patient's colon clean, which makes polyp detection easier.
Step 2
Perform the colonoscopy in the morning. According to Medline, a recent study has shown that colonoscopies performed in the early morning are better at detecting colon polyps. This is because the patients' colons are often better prepared in the morning. Doctors also may be less fatigued early in the day and more alert, allowing for more careful diagnosis.
Step 3
Using the colonoscope, view the entire colon and rectum of the patient. Although the walls of the colon have some natural ridges, look for small areas of unusual or uneven growth.
Step 4
Remove and examine the polyps under a microscope. Histological examination (i.e. looking at the cells under a microscope) is critical for classifying the polyp. Polyps may be either adenomatous, hyperplastic or inflammatory. Adenomatous polyps are the most common (according to the Mayo Clinic, two-thirds of all colon polyps are adenomatous) and although only a small percentage of these are malignant, the vast majority of all malignant polyps are adenomatous. Thus, classification of the polyp is essential for determining the patient's cancer risk.
