A colonoscopy is performed in order to examine your entire colon and rectum to determine if abnormalities exist. This procedure is the number one choice for screening for colon cancer. During the procedure, a colonoscope, which is a long, flexible tube about the thickness of a finger, is inserted into your rectum. A tiny video camera at its tip lets your physician see inside your colon.
In some cases during a colonoscopy, if a polyp or abnormal tissue is discovered, your doctor is able to remove it at that time. And a tissue sample or biopsy of the polyp can be taken for lab analysis to determine whether subsequent surgical removal of the tissue is required.
The ProcedureA relatively painless procedure if performed by an experienced physician, but it should be noted that a colonoscopy can cause a certain degree of anxiety and pain, so anesthesia is normally provided.
During the procedure you will be asked to lie on your left side. Your doctor will insert the tube or colonscope into your rectum. The instrument is long enough so that it allows your physician a view of the entire length of your colon. A colonscope contains a fiber-optic light and a channel providing your doctor with the ability to pump air into your colon, which inflates it gain a better view of the interior lining. This may also cause some abdominal cramping or pressure as the air is pumped into the colon.
At the tip of the colonoscope is a tiny video camera, the camera transmits images to a TV or computer monitor so that your doctor can look closely at the inside of your colon. Your physician also has the option of inserting instruments through the colonoscope's channel to remove polyps, take tissue samples, inject solutions or destroy (cauterize) tissues.
If a polyp or abnormal tissue is discovered, your surgeon may choose to remove it with a snare or destroy it with cautery. Another option is for your doctor to take a biopsy or recommend surgical removal, depending on the size of the mass.
A colonoscopy procedure normally takes about 20 minutes to an hour.
