Colonoscopy is the most accurate test for cancer of the colon and rectum, proven to detect the disease early and save lives.
A colonoscopy is a method to look at the interior of the colon. The colon is the large intestine and the end part of the digestive arrangement. The colon dries, processes, and dumps the waste left after the small intestine has embodied the nutrients in food.
Before you have a colonoscopy, you will have a bowel preparation to cleanse your bowel.The method varies for several people and within hospitals, so be sure to ask if there are any specific guidance for you.It’s essential to follow the directions you are given so you don’t have to repeat the test.
The colonoscope has a tiny camera on the end of it, which is connected to a monitor. This allows the physician to see the colon through the tip of the instrument even when it is far inside the body. As the scope passes the course of the colon, the normal turns and contours of the colon may impede the passage of the scope.
The patient may be asked to change positions for better visualization. It is common for fluid and gas to escape through the rectum and anus; this should be expected. The entire procedure can take from 30 minutes up to 1 hour. In addition to simply viewing the bowel wall, the colonoscope has special attachments that allow the doctor to collect tissue samples or biopsies, remove small growths, and stop bleeding with laser, heat, or medication.
Dr. Piyush Ranjan, a distinguished Gastroenterologist at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi has done his medical schooling from Maulana Azad Medical College New Delhi and subsequent training in Gastroenterology from SGPGI, Lucknow in 2003.
