Colonoscopy

Colonoscopy refers to endoscopic methods of modern diagnostics of various pathologies of the large intestine.

Thanks to this method, doctors can determine the presence of inflammatory processes, benign and malignant neoplasms, as well as ulcerative lesions of the colon mucosa already at the initial stage of development.

Colonoscopy can be used to examine more than just the intestines. This technique has other advantages as well. Modern equipment allows doctors to perform a biopsy simultaneously with the examination.

To achieve optimal visualization of the mucosa, it is necessary to properly prepare the patient for the procedure. Conduct bowel cleansing, relax the bowel tone as much as possible, prepare mentally.

What are the benefits of a colonoscopy?

When carrying out such a diagnostic procedure, the specialist evaluates the condition of the intestinal mucosa and its motility. That allows you to notice in time and further eliminate inflammatory disorders.

With the help of a colonoscope, you can assess the condition of the intestinal lumen and its size, as well as expand the intestinal lumen if it is narrowed by cicatricial changes.

During the procedure, the doctor can see early changes and neoplasms on the screen, which can appear in the form of cracks, polyps, hemorrhoids, ulcers, diverticula, tumors, or foreign bodies.

The main advantage is that if the doctor sees at least one of the above phenomena on the screen, he can immediately take a piece of tissue for laboratory testing.

If a patient is diagnosed with a small tumor of a benign nature, then you can immediately remove it and save the patient from surgery.

Colonoscopy allows you to find the cause of bleeding that occurs in the intestine and timely eliminate their cause by exposure to high temperature (thermocoagulation).

A modern device makes it possible to obtain an image of the intestinal mucosa.

Thanks to all these possibilities, colonoscopy is considered the most informative method for diagnosing the intestine.

You can undergo the procedure not only in private, but also in public clinics. If the patient has certain complaints, then it is prescribed without fail.

When is a colonoscopy indicated?

Patients are prescribed this diagnostic technique in the presence of:

• secretions of blood with feces;
• suspicion of any pathological conditions affecting the colon;
• in the presence of a history of hereditary benign and malignant neoplasms of the intestine;
• previous surgical interventions on the colon.

It is also prescribed to clarify the results of other diagnostic methods.

Men and women over the age of fifty are scheduled to have a regular procedure to detect colorectal cancer in a timely manner.

Противопоказания

Like any diagnostic method, colonoscopy has a number of contraindications, and serious complications can be provoked during its implementation.

So, the main contraindications are:

• an infectious process of an acute nature, which causes an increase in body temperature and intoxication;
• serious diseases from the cardiovascular system (heart failure, myocardial infarction);
• the presence of artificial heart valves;
• a sharp and persistent decrease in blood pressure;
• lung dysfunction;
• inflammation of the serous cover of the abdominal cavity of a local or diffuse nature;
• inflammatory processes in the intestine;
• ulcerative colitis;
• umbilical and inguinal hernias;
• violation of the process of blood clotting.

Also, doctors do not recommend the procedure for women during pregnancy.

If the patient has such contraindications, then he is prescribed an alternative diagnostic method.

Preparation for the survey

Proper preparation will allow you to carry out the procedure without difficulties and complications.

Preparation consists of two main stages – a slag-free diet and proper bowel cleansing.

Diet

A diet is prescribed to completely and thoroughly cleanse the digestive tract. Thus, the patient completely frees the intestinal walls from slag deposits and removes feces. If you do not get rid of them, then the procedure will be much more difficult, it will be difficult for the diagnostic probe to move through the large intestine.

Preparation starts a few days before. A slag-free diet does not mean a complete rejection of food; only certain foods must be excluded from the diet. Doctors do not recommend eating fresh fruits and vegetables, greens, meat, fish, pasta, cereals and all foods that can provoke increased gas formation for three days. It is difficult for the stomach to digest such foods, and gas formation begins in the intestines.

It is better to give preference to products such as lean meat and fish, wheat bread, dietary broths, biscuits and sour-milk products.

Before the procedure itself, it is allowed to drink only water.

Enema

The second main condition is bowel cleansing. In this case, you can use the well-known enema.

An enema must be given in the evening and in the morning before the diagnostic event. The volume of liquid (pure water) in the enema should be at least half a liter.

On the day of the examination, you need to give an enema in the morning twice with an interval of one hour.

This is a fairly simple and effective way to cleanse the intestines.

It is possible to cleanse the intestines with the use of special laxatives, you can use Fortrans, Picolax, Dufalac.

Colonoscopy and anesthesia

This study belongs to the list of severe endoscopic studies of the colon. It can often be accompanied by pain and discomfort. As a rule, pain occurs in patients with the presence of any neoplasms on the walls of the colon.

Modern medicine has found a way out of this situation, and today you can be examined under anesthesia. Experts call this medical sleep.

To do this, the patient is given an intravenous injection, as a result, he quickly falls into sleep, which lasts exactly as long as the examination itself.

To make everything go easily and quickly, you need to listen to all medical recommendations and follow all the rules of preparation.