Melanosis Coli Center - Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
Rancho Palos Verdes 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 Rancho Palos Verdes * Digestive Care Consultants  Digestive Care Consultants  Digestive Care Consultants  Judy L Law-Torok MD  Digestive Care Consultants  Digestive Care Consultants  Digestive Care Consultants  Digestive Care Consultants  David O Kim MD  Osato Medical Clinic  South Bay Gastroenterology Medical Group  South Bay Gastroenterology Medical Group  South Bay Gastroenterology Medical Group  South Bay Gastroenterology Medical Group  South Bay Gastroenterology Medical Group  South Bay Gastroenterology Medical Group  South Bay Gastroenterology Medical Group  South Bay Gastroenterology Medical Group  HealthCare Partners Medical Group Redondo Beach  San Pedro Internal Family Medicine  Iraj Akhlaghi MD  Robert M Webman MD  Nazir U Khaja MD  Gastroenterology Associates of the South Bay Inc  Gastroenterology Associates of the South Bay Inc  Morris Taub MD  Kaiser Permanente Harbor City Mixed Specialties  Kaiser Permanente Harbor City Mixed Specialties  Kaiser Permanente Harbor City Mixed Specialties  Kaiser Permanente Harbor City Mixed Specialties  Harbor UCLA Medical Foundation  Harbor UCLA Medical Foundation  Coast Gastroenterology Group  William Essilfie MD  Coast Gastroenterology  Coast Gastroenterology  West Gastroenterology Associates  Coast Gastroenterology  Coast Gastroenterology  West Gastroenterology Associates  West Gastroenterology Associates  West Gastroenterology Associates  West Gastroenterology Associates  Long Beach Gastroenterology Associates  Long Beach Gastroenterology Associates  Long Beach Gastroenterology Associates  Long Beach Gastroenterology Associates  Long Beach Gastroenterology Associates  Long Beach Gastroenterology Associates  Long Beach Gastroenterology Associates  LAC / Martin Luther King Jr General Hospital  Gastro-Digestive Medical Group  Gastro-Digestive Medical Group  Conrad A Cox MD  Robert A Gross MD  Glenn Pasternack MD  Jose Pantoja MD  Paul Key MD  Multi Health Care Medical Group  Western Healthcare  Akasha Center for Integrative Medicine  UCLA Santa Monica Specialists  UCLA Santa Monica Specialists  UCLA Santa Monica Specialists  N Robert Elson MD  Hertz Frankel Katkov Wishingrad & Lam MDs  Hertz Frankel Katkov Wishingrad & Lam MDs  Hertz Frankel Katkov Wishingrad & Lam MDs  Sean C Lai MD  Hertz Frankel Katkov Wishingrad & Lam MDs  Shahrad Shamsi MD  Hertz Frankel Katkov Wishingrad & Lam MDs  Southern California Medical Gastroenterology Group  Southern California Medical Gastroenterology Group  Southern California Medical Gastroenterology Group  Southern California Medical Gastroenterology Group  Southern California Medical Gastroenterology Group  Southern California Medical Gastroenterology Group  Southern California Medical Gastroenterology Group  Southern California Medical Gastroenterology Group  Derek M. Dobalian MD  Nicholas Karyotakis MD  Robert Y Uyeda MD  Talbert Medical Group  Federal Medical Clinic  Payman?Khorrami MD  Herbert R Kornfeld MD  Rahbar Medical Group  Century City Endoscopy  Mitchell J Spirt MD  California Pancreatic Biliary Institute  California Pancreatic Biliary Institute  Yong Tai Lee MD  Robert Richter MD  Sadler Medical Group  Said Rahban MD  Marvin Derezin MD  Dr Marc A Edelstein  Marvin Derezin MD  UCLA Medical Group Gastroenterology Rancho Palos Verdes, CaliforniaUpcoming 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 Rancho Palos Verdes
Nearby Rancho Palos Verdes Hospitals *Del Amo Hospital Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center San Pedro Torrance Memorial Medical Center Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center Torrance Kaiser Permanente South Bay Medical Center LAC Harbor UCLA Medical Center Vista Hospital of South Bay Los Angeles Metropolitan Medical Center Hawthorne Campus Memorial Hospital of Gardena St Mary Medical Center Pacific Hospital of Long Beach Long Beach Memorial Medical Center Miller Children's Hospital Centinela Freeman Regional Medical Center Centinela Campus Community Hospital of Long Beach Martin Luther King Jr MAC Service Center VA Long Beach Healthcare System Marina Del Rey Hospital Lakewood Regional Medical Center Kindred Hospital Los Angeles Promise Hospital of East Los Angeles Suburban Medical Center Campus St Francis Medical Center Bellflower Medical Center Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center Brotman Medical Center Tri-City Regional Medical Center College Hospital Cerritos Community Hospital of Huntington Park Kaiser Permanente Downey Medical Center Los Alamitos Medical Center Santa Monica UCLA Medical Center Saint John's Health Center Kaiser Permanente West Los Angeles Medical Center Downey Regional Medical Center Los Angeles Metropolitan Medical Center Coast Plaza Doctors Hospital Orthopaedic Medical Center California Hospital Medical Center Miracle Mile Medical Center Olympia Medical Center La Palma Intercommunity Hospital VA Greater Los Angeles HealthCare System Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center UCLA Neuropsychiatric Hospital Los Angeles Community Hospital Norwalk Community Hospital Good Samaritan Hospital Cedars-Sinai Medical Center East Los Angeles Doctors Hospital Metropolitan State Hospital Promise Hospital of East Los Angeles St Vincent Medical Center Anaheim General Hospital Shriners Hospitals for Children Los Angeles Kindred Hospital Westminster White Memorial Medical Center Temple Community Hospital Huntington Beach Hospital Kaiser Mental Health Center Pacific Alliance Medical Center West Anaheim Medical Center LAC + USC Medical Center LAC + USC Medical Center Women's & Children's Hospital Barlow Respiratory Hospital Hollywood Community Hospital USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center USC University Hospital Gateways Hospital & Mental Health Center Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center Childrens Hospital Los Angeles Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center Kindred Hospital La Mirada Beverly Hospital Presbyterian Intercommunity Hospital Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center 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
- A colon polyp is a benign tumor of the large intestine. Benign polyps do not invade nearby tissue or spread to other parts of the body. Benign polyps can easily be removed during colonoscopy and are not life threatening. If benign polyps are not removed from the large intestine, they can become malignant over time.
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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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