Colonoscopy Procedure

Colonoscopy Risks

2009-12-02T18:03:00.001+02:00

Virtually, the colonoscopy procedure is risks free. Than means there are almost no risks associated to the colonoscopy. Statistically talking, the rate of colonoscopy complications is as low as 0, 35% - yes, that is less than 1 %, less than half of a percent actually. If we talk people, that would be like 35 complications in 10 000 procedures. The risks during therapeutic colonoscopy procedure is a little higher, but still lower than the risk of the disease we are all afraid – colon cancer. That would be like 2,3% vs 6%

Colonoscopy risks are generally divided in procedure risks and anesthesia risks. Procedure risks include: bleeding, gut perforation, postpolypectomy syndrome, and infection.

Bleeding During Colonoscopy Procedure

Colic bleeding is quite rare during regular procedures. The incidence of bleeding is around 0, 01% of all routine colonoscopies. The complication is mainly not so dangerous, as can be easy observed and treated endoscopically or even can be resolved by its own. More frequent, bleeding happens during curative endoscopies, when a polyp is removed. It happens in 30 % to 50% (a half) of therapeutical colonoscopies. Any colon bleeding up to seven days after a polyp removal is, most probably, procedure related.

Perforation

During colonoscopy, especially if the doctor doesn’t have enough experience, another complication can occur. It is called perforation and means a hole or a tear in the intestinal wall. The most frequent cause of tears is the excessive distention caused by the air from the intestine. Also, manipulating the colonoscope, doctor can accidentally puncture or even tear the wall. The perforation risk is low in diagnostic colonoscopies and higher in curative colonoscopies. The treatment of gut tears is different, depending on the defect dimensions – it can be sutured during an emergency surgery or can be treated without the surgery (the hole should be very small and the colon well prepared in this case) – by simple observation and antibiotics administration.

Infection

Infections due to colonoscopy procedure is very infrequent and a very non – specific complication. It occurs due to the fact that colonoscope is not properly cleaned and is not disinfected after the previous patient. Most of the infections transmitted during a colonoscopy procedure point to a medical personnel error. The risk of infection is very, very low, but present.

Postpolypectomy syndrome

The postpolypectomy syndrome is still discussed in medical society. It is considered that the syndrome is caused by the burn of the mucosal layer of colon during the colonoscopy. Symptoms appear anywhere from 12 hours to a couple of days and are non-specific: abdominal pain, fever, elevated white blood cell count. Symptoms can be caused by a lot of other illnesses and the important point for the right diagnosis is the colonoscopy procedure performed in the past couple of days. It is treated with rest, iv administered fluids ant antibiotics.

Anesthesia related risks

Anesthetic risks are most frequent risks in colonoscopic diagnosis. Patients are normally (in the absence of contraindications) sedated during the procedure. This involves the risk of allergic reactions, breath depression, local reaction to the injection, and low blood pressure. Low blood pressure cause nausea and vomiting. However, anesthetic reactions are easily treated and easily supported.

Well, here you have the fool list of colonoscopy risks.

What to Eat After a Colonoscopy ?

2009-11-20T18:49:00.001+02:00

The question what to eat after a colonoscopy procedure appears in the head of every person that just underwent a colonoscopy. The question is perfectly logic and there is nothing to be embarrassed about, so just ask the doctor. In most cases there is no diet indicated for the patients after the colonoscopy, even if a polyp was removed.
The complete abstinence from the food is indicated in cases when patients require father investigations or experienced some complications of colonoscopy such as colon perforation.

Some specialists indicate a so called progressive diet, which is thought to help patients to easy adapt to regular food, and to minimize the shock to the digestive system. The progressive diet advances as follow:

1. clear liquids (water, ginger ale)
2. liquid food
3. mechanical soft (almost any food, blended first)
4. soft (soft foods)
5. bland (non-spiced food, no caffeine ether)
6. low fiber diet
7. regular diet

The diet is stepped up as the patient tolerates advancement, normally one step in two or three days.

And yes, you can eat anything you want after a colonoscopy, as long as it is low fiber :)

Colonoscopy Procedure

2009-11-02T08:20:00.003+02:00

Colonoscopy Procedure

The colonoscopy is a very simple procedure performed with a device named colonoscope. A colonoscope is a device especially designed for this procedure, which represents a thin flexible and quite long tube with a tiny camera and a light source (lamp). The procedure is a very good method for population screening regarding colon pathology and an excellent meaning for diagnosis of medical conditions that affect the large bowel. As examples of such conditions, that area easily diagnosed through colonoscopy procedure we can name colic tumors, polyps, ulcers, and even inflammatory bowel disease. As technology steps forward, the method can be used also with curative meaning, as for example biopsy or even removal of suspicious polyps.

Colonoscopy preparation.

Probably, the most important and the hardest part of Colonoscopy procedure is the preparation for it. The prep starts 3-4 days before the procedure. All red beverages are not allowed. So are fibers and foods. The patient can consume liquids without any coloring. The day before "the big day", patient will be given some sedation pills in the evening to relax the body and to avoid anxiety. As long as contraindications are present, some patients, with some chronic medical conditions will not be sedated. Also that will be need for an enema to clean up the colon properly.

What is Colonoscopy good for?

The large bowel examination is an excellent meaning of early diagnosis and prevention of such a life threatening conditions as colon cancer. First signs of a colon cancer can be nonspecific and mime another illness, so the colonoscopy procedure can put things straight and to clear the diagnosis. It is also very useful for early diagnosis of cancer, before it begins to spread or to close the bowel lumen. Cancer is not the only thing that can be diagnosed with the help of the endoscopyc examination. All kind of polyps and ulcers can be easily diagnosed (and some of them cured) through colonoscopy. Also, Crohn’s disease – a serious condition that affects your eyes, bowels and immune system, can be diagnosed through a proper endoscopyc examination. Ulcerative colitis, a type of inflammatory bowel disease, can be diagnosed and partially cured with this simple procedure. With colonoscopy doctors can also make a biopsy to determine the threat of the polyps in the large bowel.

Colonoscopy Procedure Risks

The risks of getting a colonoscopy are quite low. Complications happen in 0, 35% of cases according to a recent British study. The major risk of an endoscopyc exaination, is large bowel perforation, and the risk of this kind of perforation is even higher not during the procedure itself, but during preparation – the enema. Other risks are anesthesia associated. But benefits of colon screening outweigh all the risks putted together.

The endoscopyc examination of the large colon should be taken by older persons every few years, especially by those, who have a family history of colon cancer. Patients with polyps are in the risk group, so they have to perform the procedure more often. A proper treatment for other colon conditions diagnosed through colonoscopy procedure is very important for your health. Sometimes it is even vital.