Melanosis Coli Center - Sunnyvale, CA
Sunnyvale 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 Sunnyvale * Camino Medical Group Gastroenterology  Camino Medical Group Gastroenterology  Camino Medical Group Gastroenterology  Camino Medical Group Gastroenterology  Camino Medical Group Gastroenterology  Camino Medical Group Gastroenterology  Camino Medical Group Gastroenterology  Camino Medical Group Gastroenterology  Andrew Lipton MD  Robert F Bronstone MD  Peninsula Gastroenterology Medical Group  El Camino GI Medical  Peninsula Gastroenterology Medical Group  Peninsula Gastroenterology Medical Group  El Camino GI Medical  Peninsula Gastroenterology Medical Group  Farr & Farr MD  Alfred L Hurwitz MD  Jagjit S Raju MD  San Jose Gastroenterology  San Jose Gastroenterology  David W Chui MD  Felix K Tam MD  Palo Alto Veterans Hospital GI Endoscopy  Palo Alto Veterans Hospital GI Endoscopy  Barbara Hom MD  Medical Specialties Clinic  Palo Alto Medical Clinic Medical Specialties  Palo Alto Medical Clinic Medical Specialties  Palo Alto Medical Clinic Medical Specialties  Marwan A Balaa MD  Ayer & Davilla MDs  Terry C Lin DO  Michael C Kushlan MD  San Jose Medical Group  San Jose Medical Group  David S Shields MD  Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Gastroenterology Department  Susie M Liu MD  Harvey S Young MD  David E Stein MD FACG  Menlo Medical Clinic  Menlo Medical Clinic  Mission Primary Care  Shakir Hyder MD  Rasik Kansara MD  San Jose Gastroenterology  San Jose Gastroenterology  San Jose Gastroenterology  San Jose Gastroenterology  Sally Nacianceno & Rose Palma MDs  Sudin Vittal MD  Washington Township Medical Group  Kenneth A Kelsen MD  Fremont Medical Group  Betty M Ho MD  Scott D Levenson MD  Scott D Levenson MD  Kaiser Permanente Medical Center Hayward  Kaiser Permanente Medical Center Hayward  Kaiser Permanente Medical Center Hayward  Kaiser Permanente Medical Center Hayward  Gastroenterology Specialists Medical Group  Gastroenterology Specialists Medical Group  San Mateo County General Hospital  Gastroenterology Specialists Medical Group  Edward K Onuma & Eugene Y Lee MDs  Edward K Onuma & Eugene Y Lee MDs  Michael Mainardi M.D. Inc.  Ernest Ribera MD  Marna M Skaar MD  Camacho & Musni MDs  Phillip A Wolfe & Eric Rowen MDs  Phillip A Wolfe & Eric Rowen MDs  Miles F Adler MD  Vinod Sawhney MD  Santa Cruz Medical Foundation Soquel  Santa Cruz Medical Foundation Soquel  Santa Cruz Medical Foundation Soquel  Santa Cruz Medical Foundation Soquel  Gordon E Lee MD  Monterey Bay Gastroenterology  Monterey Bay Gastroenterology  Monterey Bay Gastroenterology  Tri Valley Gastroenterology  Tri Valley Gastroenterology  Bayview Gastroenterology  Steven A Friedman MD  Robert H Kubin MD  Kenneth T Roost MD  Anderson Rowe MD  Valley Digestive Care Medical Associates  Gastroenterology Consultants of The Peninsula  Gastroenterology Consultants of The Peninsula  David H Lin MD  Gastroenterology Associates of the East Bay  Alameda County Medical Center  Alameda County Medical Center Highland Hospital Campus  Lawrence B Lusk MD  Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center Sunnyvale, 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 Sunnyvale
Nearby Sunnyvale Hospitals *El Camino Hospital Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara Medical Center VA Palo Alto Health Care System O'Connor Hospital Santa Clara Valley Medical Center El Camino Hospital of Los Gatos Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford Hospital & Clinics Menlo Park Surgical Hospital Good Samaritan Hospital San Jose Good Samaritan Hospital Mission Oaks Regional Medical Center of San Jose Fremont Hospital Kaiser Permanente Redwood City Medical Center Washington Hospital Sequoia Hospital Kaiser Permanente San Jose Medical Center Kaiser Permanente Hayward Medical Center San Mateo Medical Center St Rose Hospital Mills Hospital Eden Medical Center Mills-Peninsula Health Services Livermore Division of the VA Palo Alto Healthcare System Alameda County Medical Center Fairmont Campus John George Psychiatric Pavilion ValleyCare Health System Pleasanton San Leandro Hospital Kindred Hospital San Francisco Bay Area Valley Memorial Hospital Dominican Hospital Sutter Maternity & Surgery Center Seton Medical Center Coastside San Ramon Regional Medical Center Alameda Hospital Kaiser Permanente South San Francisco Medical Center Alameda County Medical Center Highland Campus Seton Medical Center Alta Bates Summit Medical Center Summit Campus San Francisco General Hospital St Luke's Hospital Watsonville Community Hospital Kaiser Permanente Medical Center at Oakland Children's Hospital & Research Center Oakland Saint Louise Regional Hospital Laguna Honda Hospital & Rehabilitation Center California Pacific Medical Center Davies Campus 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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