Melanosis Coli Center - San Mateo, CA
San Mateo 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 San Mateo * Edward K Onuma & Eugene Y Lee MDs  Edward K Onuma & Eugene Y Lee MDs  Michael Mainardi M.D. Inc.  Ernest Ribera MD  San Mateo County General Hospital  Marna M Skaar MD  Scott D Levenson MD  Scott D Levenson MD  Robert H Kubin MD  Kenneth T Roost MD  Gastroenterology Consultants of The Peninsula  Gastroenterology Consultants of The Peninsula  Peninsula Gastroenterology Medical Group  Peninsula Gastroenterology Medical Group  Peninsula Gastroenterology Medical Group  Peninsula Gastroenterology Medical Group  Betty M Ho MD  Menlo Medical Clinic  Menlo Medical Clinic  Lawrence B Lusk MD  Susie M Liu MD  Harvey S Young MD  David S Shields MD  Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Gastroenterology Department  Palo Alto Medical Clinic Medical Specialties  Palo Alto Medical Clinic Medical Specialties  Palo Alto Medical Clinic Medical Specialties  Medical Specialties Clinic  Dennis L Hamby MD  Digestive Disease Medical Group  Digestive Disease Medical Group  Digestive Disease Medical Group  Digestive Disease Medical Group  Digestive Disease Medical Group  Palo Alto Veterans Hospital GI Endoscopy  Palo Alto Veterans Hospital GI Endoscopy  Gastroenterology Associates of the East Bay  Mission Primary Care  Robert J Elsen MD  SFGH Medicine & Gastroenterology Clinic  Kaiser Permanente Medical Center Hayward  Kaiser Permanente Medical Center Hayward  Kaiser Permanente Medical Center Hayward  Kaiser Permanente Medical Center Hayward  Miles F Adler MD  Vinod Sawhney MD  Gastroenterology Specialists Medical Group  Gastroenterology Specialists Medical Group  UCSF Medical Center Gastroenterology  UCSF Medical Center Gastroenterology  UCSF Medical Center Gastroenterology  San Francisco Digestive Disease Inc  UCSF Medical Center Gastroenterology  San Francisco Digestive Disease Inc  UCSF Medical Center Gastroenterology  UCSF Medical Center Gastroenterology  UCSF Gastroenterology  San Francisco Digestive Disease Inc  Dean L Rider MD  UCSF Medical Center Gastroenterology  H David Watts MD  UCSF Medical Center Gastroenterology  UCSF Medical Center Gastroenterology  Frank S Yang MD  Malin Aubry Gores Wang Haddad & Sankaran  Dennis Shen MD  Alameda County Medical Center  Alameda County Medical Center Highland Hospital Campus  Patrick Y Wong MD  Frank J Farrell MD  California Pacific Medical Center Department of Gastroenterology  Womens Health Care Clinic  UCSF Medical Center Gastroenterology  UCSF The Comprehensive Cancer Center  UCSF Medical Center Gastroenterology  UCSF Medical Center Gastroenterology  Sunset Health Services  Pacific Heights Medical Group  Pacific Internal Medicine Associates  Interventional Endoscopy Services  California Pacific Medical Center Gastroenterology  Pacific Internal Medicine Associates  California Pacific Medical Center Gastroenterology  Daniel Conlin MD  Pacific Internal Medicine Associates  California Pacific Medical Center Gastroenterology  Pacific Internal Medicine Associates  PACIFIC INTERNAL MEDICINE ASSOCIATES  Pacific Internal Medicine Associates  California Pacific Medical Center Gastroenterology  California Pacific Medical Center Gastroenterology  Gastroenterology Specialists Medical Group  DR, MARTIN S. LIBERMAN  Stephen C Pardys MD  John C Fletcher MD & William Parmer MD Inc  US & International Medicine Wing K King MD  Doctors Office  Doctors Office  Doctors Office  Northern California Gastroenterology Consultants San Mateo, CaliforniaUpcoming Local Events2012-06-16
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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 San Mateo
Nearby San Mateo Hospitals *Mills Hospital San Mateo Medical Center Mills-Peninsula Health Services Sequoia Hospital Kaiser Permanente Redwood City Medical Center Kaiser Permanente South San Francisco Medical Center Menlo Park Surgical Hospital Seton Medical Center Coastside Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford Hospital & Clinics Seton Medical Center Kaiser Permanente Hayward Medical Center St Rose Hospital VA Palo Alto Health Care System San Leandro Hospital St Luke's Hospital Alameda Hospital San Francisco General Hospital Alameda County Medical Center Fairmont Campus Kindred Hospital San Francisco Bay Area John George Psychiatric Pavilion Laguna Honda Hospital & Rehabilitation Center Eden Medical Center California Pacific Medical Center Davies Campus UCSF Medical Center at Parnassus St Mary's Medical Center Saint Francis Memorial Hospital Kaiser Permanente San Francisco Medical Center UCSF Medical Center at Mount Zion Chinese Hospital El Camino Hospital Alameda County Medical Center Highland Campus California Pacific Medical Center Pacific Campus California Pacific Medical Center California Campus California Pacific Medical Center East Campus Washington Hospital Fremont Hospital Alta Bates Summit Medical Center Summit Campus San Francisco VA Medical Center Kaiser Permanente Medical Center at Oakland Children's Hospital & Research Center Oakland Alta Bates Summit Medical Center Alta Bates Campus Alta Bates Summit Medical Center Herrick Campus Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara Medical Center San Ramon Regional Medical Center ValleyCare Health System Pleasanton O'Connor Hospital Santa Clara Valley Medical Center El Camino Hospital of Los Gatos Kaiser Permanente Walnut Creek Medical Center Doctor's Medical Center San Pablo Regional Medical Center of San Jose Good Samaritan Hospital San Jose Good Samaritan Hospital Mission Oaks John Muir Medical Center Walnut Creek Campus Marin General Hospital Kentfield Rehabilitation & Specialty Hospital Valley Memorial Hospital Livermore Division of the VA Palo Alto Healthcare System VA Northern CA Healthcare System at Martinez Contra Costa Regional Medical Center John Muir Behavioral Health Center John Muir Medical Center Concord Campus Kaiser Permanente San Rafael 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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