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| Colonoscopy:
The Procedure |
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The flexible
colonoscopy is a remarkable piece of equipment that can be directed and moved
around the many bends in the colon. The colonoscope visualized the entire
colon, whereas a sigmoidoscope sees only the lower portion. The new video
endoscopes, used in this facility, have a tiny, optically sensitive computer
chip at the end which transmits the image onto a large video screen.
These scopes allow other instruments to be passed through in order to perform biopsies, remove polyps or inject solutions. If a polyp is encountered, a thin wire snare is used to lasso it, and electrical heat (electrocautery) is applied to remove it painlessly. The procedure takes approximately 30 minutes and is often not remembered by the patient. |
| Recovery |  |
In the recovery area the staff monitors patients until they are fully awake. After the exam, the physician explains his findings to the patient’s family. If a biopsy has been performed or polyps removed, the results of these are available in one to two days. |