Colonoscopy (cont.)
What to expect after a colonoscopy?
Patients will be kept in an observation area for an hour or
two, until
any medication given adequately wears off. If they have been
given
sedation before or during the procedure, someone must take them
home, even
if they feel alert. The patient's reflexes and judgment may be
impaired
for the rest of the day, making it unsafe to drive or operate
any
machinery. Should patients have some cramping or bloating this
should be
relieved quickly with the passage of gas and they should be
able to eat
upon the returning home. After the removal of polyps or certain
manipulations, the diet or activities of patients may be
restricted for a
brief period of time.
Prior to the patient's departure, any findings can be
explained.
However, at times, a definitive diagnosis might have to wait
for a
microscopic analysis, which usually takes only a few days.
What are the possible complications or alternatives?
Colonoscopy complications are rare and usually minor when
performed by
physicians who have been specially trained and are experienced
in these
endoscopic procedures.
Bleeding may occur at the site of biopsy or polypectomy, is
usually
minor and self-limited, or can be controlled through the
colonoscope. It
is quite unusual to require transfusions or surgery. An even
less common
complication is a perforation or a tear through the bowel wall
that could
require surgery. Other potential complications are reaction to
the
sedatives used, localized irritation to the vein where
medications were
injected (leaving a tender lump lasting a number of days but
going away
eventually), or complications from heart or lung disease. Hot
towels or
moist packs often help relieve the discomfort of an irritated
vein. The
incidence of all of these, together, is less than one percent.
While these complications are rare, it is important for
patients to
recognize any early signs. The physician that performed the
colonoscopy
should be contacted if patients notice any of the following
symptoms:
severe abdominal pain, rectal bleeding of more than half a cup,
or fever
and chills.
Colonoscopy is the best test available to detect and
treat abnormalities within the colon. The alternatives to colonoscopy are quite
limited. Barium enema is a less accurate test performed with x-ray. It
misses
lesions more often than a colonoscopy, and, if an abnormality
is found, a
colonoscopy may still be required to biopsy or remove the
abnormality. At
times, an abnormality or lesion detected with a barium enema is
actually
stool or residual food in a poorly cleansed colon. Colonoscopy
may then be
necessary to clarify the issue. Flexible sigmoidoscopy is a
limited
examination that examines only the last third of the colon.
Next: Virtual Colonoscopy »
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