Melanosis Coli Center - Potomac, MD
Potomac Gastroenterologist Doctors for Melanosis ColiType of Physician: Gastroenterologist What is a Gastroenterologist? A subspecialty certification by the Board of Internal Medicine; practitioners focus on the stomach, intestines, colon, liver, and gallbladder (digestive organs). The gastroenterologist treats conditions such as abdominal pain, ulcers, diarrhea, cancer, and jaundice and they consult with surgeons when abdominal operations are indicated. Specialty: Gastroenterology Common Name: GI Doctor Gastroenterologist Doctors in Potomac * Rockville Internal Medical Group  S Grace Woo MD LLC  Gary M Roggin MD  Ghanshyam Gupta MD  Birns Gloger & Witten MD PC  Birns Gloger & Witten MD PC  Arthur Schoengold MD  Birns Gloger & Witten MD PC  Digestive Disease Consultants PA  Capital Gastroenterology Consultants PA  Capital Gastroenterology Consultants PA  Digestive Disease Consultants PA  Capital Gastroenterology Consultants PA  Drs Stern & Gantt  Capital Gastroenterology Consultants PA  Digestive Disease Consultants PA  Capital Gastroenterology Consultants PA  Digestive Disease Consultants PA  Digestive Disease Consultants PA  Capital Gastroenterology Consultants PA  Capital Gastroenterology Consultants PA  Digestive Disease Consultants PA  Capital Gastroenterology Consultants PA  Drs Stern & Gantt  Neil L Julie MD  MONTROSE PEDIATRIC GI  Jatinder Sekhon MD  Sanford Richman MD  Ajay Bakshi MD  Digestive Disease Clinic  Boo K Kim MD  T Ann Tonnu MD  T Jake Liang MD  Digestive Disease Branch  Washington Gastroenterology  Robynne K Chutkan MD  Metropolitan Gastroenterology Group  Metropolitan Gastroenterology Group  Washington Gastroenterology  Washington Gastroenterology  Washington Gastroenterology  Metropolitan Gastroenterology Group  Metropolitan Gastroenterology Group  Washington Gastroenterology  Metropolitan Gastroenterology Group  Metropolitan Gastroenterology Group  Montgomery Gastroenterology  Montgomery Gastroenterology  Montgomery Gastroenterology  Steven A Burger MD  V P Chandar MD PA  Capital Gastroenterology Consultants PA  Bernard A Heckman MD  Capital Gastroenterology Consultants PA  Montgomery Internal Medicine Associates PA  Marc Kozam MD  Capital Gastroenterology Consultants PA  Maryland Digestive Disease Center  Maryland Digestive Disease Center  Maryland Digestive Disease Center  Maryland Digestive Disease Center  Maryland Digestive Disease Center  Kempanna Sudhakar MD  Ghulam Mohiuddin MD  Ghulam Mohiuddin MD  Asghar Shaigany MD  Cohen & Epstein MDs  Cohen & Epstein MDs  James S Chesley Jr. MD  Healthcare of Greater Washington  McCone Endoscopy Centers  A O Moshyedi MD  A O Moshyedi MD  Mushtaq A Shah MD  Maximo Singer MD  Maryland Digestive Disease Center  Maryland Digestive Disease Center  Redjaee & Taleghani MDs  GI Associates of Maryland  GI Associates of Maryland  Vincent Sutliff MD  Aly Sabet MD  Elizabeth R Myles MD  Digestive Disease Associates  Digestive Disease Associates  Megan Willard MD  Digestive Disease Associates  Digestive Disease Associates  Digestive Disease Associates  Digestive Disease Associates  Digestive Disease Associates  John Bedeau MD & David Gorray MD  Kaiser Permanente Medical Center Largo  Kaiser Permanente Medical Center Largo  Kaiser Permanente Medical Center Largo  Kaiser Permanente Medical Center Largo  Wondwosen Abdi MD  Sam Tellawi MD  Chandrakant K Bhatia MD  Gastro Center of Maryland Potomac, MarylandUpcoming Local Events2012-06-02
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Melanosis ColiRead the Melanosis Coli article » What is melanosis coli?Melanosis coli is a condition usually associated with chronic laxative use in which dark pigment is deposited in the lamina propria (one of the lining layers) of the large intestine (colon). The pigment deposition results in a characteristic dark brown to black discoloration of the lining of the large intestine. This condition is sometimes called pseudomelanosis coli because the pigment deposits consist of a pigment known as lipofuscin and do not contain melanin as implied by the term "melanosis." Lipofuscin is a cellular pigment that forms when cells are destroyed, often called "wear and tear" pigment that can be found throughout the body. The dark color of the intestinal lining may be uniform or patterned, and the discoloration may be slight or very pronounced. The intensity and pattern of the discoloration may even vary among different sites in the colon of a patient. The condition may also be reversed upon discontinuation of laxative use. In some cases, the wall of the colon appears normal to the eye, but microscopic evaluation of biopsies by a pathologist reveals areas of pigment in the colon's lining. The pigment in melanosis coli does not accumulate in polyps or tumors of the large intestine.
What are the symptoms of melanosis coli?Melanosis coli does not cause symptoms. What causes melanosis coli?Melanosis coli usually results from chronic use of laxatives of the anthranoid group. Some examples of anthranoid laxatives are senna and rhubarb derivatives. Many of these laxatives have been in use for hundreds of years. In 1997, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned the use of the popular anthranoid laxative phenolphthalein due to fears that it might be carcinogenic (cancer-causing). Animal studies had shown that extremely high doses of phenolphthalein led to tumors in animals, but it has nev... Recommended Reading Related to Melanosis ColiConstipation facts
Other Related Melanosis Coli ArticlesEmergency Contact for Potomac
Nearby Potomac Hospitals *Suburban Hospital Shady Grove Adventist Hospital Adventist Rehabilitation Hospital of Maryland Potomac Ridge Behavioral Health Adventist HealthCare National Institutes of Health Sibley Memorial Hospital Psychiatric Institute of Washington Reston Hospital Center Holy Cross Hospital Virginia Hospital Center Georgetown University Hospital Walter Reed Army Medical Center Dominion Hospital Inova Fairfax Hospital Inova Fairfax Hospital for Children Northern Virginia Mental Health Institute Washington Adventist Hospital The George Washington University Hospital National Rehabilitation Hospital Washington Hospital Center Howard University Hospital Washington DC VA Medical Center Children's National Medical Center Montgomery General Hospital Providence Hospital Inova Fair Oaks Hospital The HSC Pediatric Center The Specialty Hospital of Washington Inova Alexandria Hospital Inova Loudoun Hospital Center Saint Elizabeth's Hospital Gladys Spellman Specialty Hospital Prince George's Hospital Center The Specialty Hospital of Washington-Hadley United Medical Center Laurel Regional Hospital Doctors Community Hospital North Spring Behavioral Healthcare Inova Mount Vernon Hospital Graydon Manor Behavioral Health Howard County General Hospital Prince William Hospital Fort Washington Hospital Southern Maryland Hospital Center Potomac Hospital Sheppard Pratt at Ellicott City Springfield Hospital Center Frederick Memorial Hospital Spring Grove Hospital Center Baltimore Washington Medical Center Northwest Hospital Kernan Hospital Saint Agnes Hospital Featured Articles*Provider Directory Terms of Use: The WebMD 'Provider Directory' is provided by WebMD for use by the general public as a quick reference of information about Providers. The Provider Directory is not intended as a tool for verifying the credentials, qualifications, or abilities of any Provider contained therein. Inclusion in the Provider Directory does not imply recommendation or endorsement nor does omission in the Provider Directory imply WebMD disapproval. |
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Related Diseases & Conditions
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Colon Cancer
- Colon cancer is a malignancy that arises from the inner lining of the colon. Most, if not all, of these cancers develop from colonic polyps. Removal of these precancerous polyps can prevent colon cancer.
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Constipation
- Constipation is defined medically as fewer than three stools per week and severe constipation as less than one stool per week. Constipation usually is caused by the slow movement of stool through the colon. There are many causes of constipation including medications, poor bowel habits, low fiber diets, abuse of laxatives, hormonal disorders, and diseases primarily of other parts of the body that also affect the colon.
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Abdominal Pain
- Abdominal pain is pain in the belly and can be acute or chronic. Causes include inflammation, distention of an organ, and loss of the blood supply to an organ. Abdominal pain can reflect a major problem with one of the organs in the abdomen such as the appendix, gallbladder, large and small intestine, pancreas, liver, colon, duodenum, and spleen.
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Colon Polyps
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Laxatives for Constipation
- Laxatives for treatment of constipation include over-the-counter preparations such as bulk-forming laxatives, stool softeners, lubricant laxatives, stimulant laxatives, saline laxatives, enemas and suppositories. Some over-the-counter laxatives are not recommended for patients with specific diseases or conditions. Some laxatives may have negative adverse effects if taken over long periods of time.
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Colon Cancer Prevention
- Colo-rectal cancer is both curable and preventable if it is detected early and completely removed before the cancerous cells metastasize to other parts of the body. Colonoscopy and flexible sigmoidoscopy (along with digital rectal examination and stool occult blood testing) are both effective at preventing colo-rectal cancers and detecting early colo-rectal cancers.
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Colon Cancer
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