Colonoscopy: Reviews and Reality

What is a colonoscopy?

Investigation of the intestine from the inside by a special technique and, in particular, examination of the colon is called a colonoscopy. For this procedure, a flexible colonoscope tool is required, which is a kind of endoscopic equipment (see below). And the colonoscopy itself is one of the variants of the research procedure, which is called endoscopy.

What is endoscopy?

The colon is deep inside the gastrointestinal tract. It is almost impossible to subject her to examination, like other hollow organs.

In medicine, this problem was resolved. The so-called endoscopic procedures were invented and elaborated in detail. Through the natural openings of the body or through the surgical incision is introduced a special instrument - an endoscope. Today it is a flexible fiber-optic probe-hose, equipped with a miniature video camera and a set of manipulator devices. The image is transmitted to a digital video processor, where it is observed by a doctor and recorded.

The device of the endoscope allows it to be placed in the cavity of the organ to examine previously inaccessible areas, to take a biopsy, to remove the polyp, to prune the ulcer, etc. With the help of such equipment it is possible to penetrate into all internal hollow organs.

Technically, a modern colonoscopy is being developed. Feedback from experts about the latest developments suggest that the intestinal diseases can soon be prevented.

Some Colonoscopy Problems

The colonoscope is able to repeat the shape of the intestinal loops. With careless application, there is a danger of perforation (breakthrough) of the intestine, which is dangerous for the patient's life. In addition, the procedure is painful, especially in cases where the doctor has to straighten the intestinal loops to examine them. Doing a colonoscopy can only doctor-endoscopist, who has a special education and a lot of experience.

In Russia, among all types of endoscopic research, colonoscopy is the least popular. The patient's comments about her do not coincide with the opinions of specialists, are contradictory and not devoid of a shade of fear. Patients are afraid of pain and breakthrough of the intestine.

It should be noted that colonoscopy under anesthesia has long been used in private Russian clinics, as well as in most foreign government clinics (for example, in America and Israel). The patient is completely relieved of unnecessary suffering. Undoubtedly, this, more modern colonoscopy possesses comfort for the patient, as well as for the doctor. Reviews, as a result, are positive.

Who needs to do colonoscopy?

The procedure is shown to people who have:

- Colitis (inflammation of the intestine);

- chronic constipation;

- polyps of intestines;

- mucus in a sample of feces;

- cases of frequently recurring fluid and irregular stools;

- cases of recurring abdominal pain;

- cases of polyps in the intestines and stomach;

- manifestations of endometriosis (proliferation of cells of the uterus wall);

- Oncological diseases in gynecology, among them - manifestations of ovarian cancer and / or uterine cancer.

Colonoscopy is also prescribed for the following poor results in a blood test:

• Decreased hemoglobin;
• Increased ESR ("sedimentation rate of erythrocytes" - a specific laboratory test for the presence of a hidden inflammatory process);
• Dysfunctional oncomarkers were found;
• Hidden blood is found in the feces
• With poor results of ultrasound and x-ray studies.

How to prepare for a colonoscopy

The presence in the intestine of any content (feces, digestible food) makes colonoscopy virtually impossible, since physical obstructions to the movement of the colonoscope through the intestine are created. Therefore, before the procedure the intestine must be completely cleaned.

The day before the examination, at about 4 o'clock in the evening, you should take castor oil in quantities from forty to sixty grams. This is necessary to "provoke" the intestines to self-emptying.

Do not use laxatives. The intestine as a result of their reception strains, its sensitivity increases and, as a consequence, the pain during the procedure increases.

At 8 and at 10 o'clock in the evening make 2 cleansing enemas, each one and a half liters. You can not have dinner. The next day you can not have breakfast (you can drink only a glass of tea and eat a cracker). In the morning (on the day of the study) at 7.00 and 8.30, repeat the enema.

About erroneous failures

Many people for years do not dare to make a colonoscopy because of fears. It should be remembered that the timely detection of pathologies of the intestine gives chances for their cure.

The cause of failure is usually an inadequate expectation, and not the colonoscopy itself. Feedback after the procedure almost always says that it was much easier than expected by the patient.