Guide To Getting A Colonoscopy

How The Procedure Works

A doctor who specializes in gastroenterology is the one who performs the procedure. A colonoscopy lasts for between thirty and sixty minutes. The patient will be sedated with gas or intravenous anesthesia throughout. Once the patient is sedated, a colonoscope is passed into the colon. This is a long, flexible tube with a camera on the end of it. It projects a real-time video of what is seen by the camera to a monitor.

The colonoscope can bend and fit the curves of the large intestine without puncturing it. The colonoscope can also blow air into the large intestine to give the doctor a better view. If abnormalities are discovered, a biopsy can be performed using small instruments passed through the colonoscope to examine the abnormal or suspicious cells. When the doctor is finished with their exam, they will slowly remove the colonoscope. The patient is then transferred to recovery. They will stay here for an hour for observation.

Get familiar with the risks associated with a colonoscopy now.