Melanosis Coli Center - Tulare, CA
Tulare 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 Tulare * Jeffry A Brown MD  Ching Wu MD  Roger C Wu DO  Visalia Medical Clinic Inc  Alvin Y Au MD  Boris Reznik MD  Kannappan Mohan MD  Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology  VA Medical Center  Melvyn Froese MD  Prahalad Jajodia MD  GI Medical Group of Fresno  GI Medical Group of Fresno  Ajit Arora MD  Spruce Multispecialty Group  Patrick D Ginn MD  Patrick D Ginn MD  Ajit Arora MD  K R Mohan MD  Ram Mittal MD  California Digestive Disease Center  Roberto Gugig MD  Rajeev R Manu MD  Nandakumar Ravi MD  Anil Mehta MD  Advanced Gastroenterology  Gastroenterology Medical Group  Gastroenterology Medical Group  Gastroenterology Medical Group  Digestive Disease Center  Digestive Disease Center  Gastroenterology Medical Group  Digestive Disease Center  Hua Lin MD  San Joaquin Community Hospital  Ishaan Kalha MD  California Digestive Diseases Tulare, CaliforniaUpcoming Local Events2012-06-17
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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
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Nearby Tulare Hospitals *Tulare Regional Medical Center Kaweah Delta Mental Health Hospital Kaweah Delta Rehabilitation Hospital Kaweah Delta Medical Center Health District Corcoran District Hospital Central Valley General Hospital Hanford Community Medical Center Sierra View District Hospital Porterville Developmental Center Kingsburg Medical Center Sierra Kings District Hospital Selma Community Hospital Naval Hospital Lemoore Delano Regional 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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