1 Diagnosis of

When colon colonoscopy is implied, how is the procedure performed? In fact, such diagnostics are not performed in every medical institution, since a specially equipped room and equipment is needed for this. During manipulations, the patient is anesthetized so that the study is most comfortable for all.

Using a colonoscope, which is a long, thin and flexible tube, a specialist examines the internal surfaces of the large intestine. At the end of such a probe there is a lighting device and a video camera that broadcasts the picture to a special monitor. If the colonoscopy is of a surgical nature, then for this in the colonoscope there are channels in which the instruments are located. It is by them that a doctor can take tissue samples, stop bleeding and conduct operative manipulations.

Intestinal examination is carried out by gradually moving the probe through the entire intestine, right up to the beginning of the small intestine. If necessary, the esculapus can stop at the place of interest and conduct the study more carefully. By time such manipulations take an average of half an hour. At the end of the diagnosis, the patient wakes up quietly.

The only thing worth mentioning about - after these actions the patient sometimes has weakness, drowsiness, which are a consequence of an anesthesia carried over. If the procedure was performed by a qualified specialist, then no pain in the anorectal area should arise.

2 Virtual procedure

A virtual procedure is a study that is performed using computed tomography. The requirements for conducting such a diagnosis are similar to the usual form of procedure.

How is the colonoscopy done virtual? In this case, when the probe is inserted into the anus, air starts to flow from it, in order to "open" the intestine. Such filling is absolutely safe, and most importantly, if you compare a virtual colonoscopy with a conventional one, then there is an opportunity to more fully explore all parts of the organ.

But, unfortunately, this procedure has its drawbacks:

• high cost;
• during the study, the doctor is not able to immediately take samples of tissues, so, often, the patient has to once again undergo a survey, but already an ordinary one;
• after the termination of manipulations in the patient there is a dyscomfort in the abdominal region, as the air will leave for some time.

As far as this research is needed, only a doctor can judge. Although the patient may refuse to pass it, it is worthwhile carefully weighing the pros and cons.

3 Preventive measures

Despite the fact that such a procedure at first glance may seem very unpleasant, it is still worthwhile from time to time to pass. The fact is that only such a study allows us to discover the specific formations as early as possible. For example, intestinal cancer is a very dangerous disease, because in comparison with tumors of other organs it develops slowly and has almost no bright symptoms in the early stages. If someone in the family already had this disease, then his heirs are at risk.

If a person begins to suffer constipation or diarrhea, then as a prophylaxis you can use a colonoscopy. Of course, such symptoms may indicate a more "mild" disease, but it would not hurt to insure yourself.

Specialists note that those who crossed the threshold at 50 years should undergo such a procedure once in 8-10 years. And this is not so often. If a history of Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, polyps, then a visit to the doctor should be 1 time in 5 years. With available relatives with intestinal cancer, the frequency of visits is reduced to 1 time in 3-5 years, and hikes should begin with 40 years.

4 Necessary preparation for

How colonoscopy of the intestine is done was described above, but to such a procedure a person must be properly prepared. For this there are 2 ways - diet and cleansing.

Consider the basic principles of the diet:

1. On the day of manipulation, the patient must starve. He should not eat anything, but instead he should drink at least 3.5 liters of liquid. Drinks should not be harmful, so soda, strong teas and coffee must be postponed.
2. In the evening, on the eve of the study, consumption of any food and water stops.

One week before the appointed day, your diet should be made in such a way that it contains only those products that stimulate the bowel, cleaning it from slagging.

As for purification, the patient has to put an enema.

This is necessary in order for the study to yield the most accurate results. For this, the following actions are necessary: ​​

1. You can prepare 4 liters of polyethylene glycol solution. He is drunk the night before the procedure. The volume of the liquid must be calculated in such a way that it is taken within 3 hours.
2. You can also use Dufalac for such purposes.100 g of the agent is diluted in 3 liters of water. One half of the solution is drunk in the afternoon( immediately after lunch), the day before the colonoscopy, and the second is drunk already in the evening.

These "drinks" are designed to cause a liquid stool. But in parallel with this, the patient may experience bloating and discomfort in the abdomen.

For such purposes, you can use an ordinary enema. But in order to choose the right method for cleansing the intestine, a specialist consultation is necessary. The fact is that laxative solutions purify the organ not as "deep" as the enema. Therefore, depending on which colonoscopy of the intestine is appointed, the method of preparation will depend.

Also one of the most important moments in preparation for such diagnostics is the awareness of the attending physician. If the patient takes any medications for one reason or another, the specialist must necessarily be aware of this. This is especially true for drugs for dilution of blood - Aspirin, Diclofenac, Indomethacin, Ibuprofen. Usually, the day before the procedure, the patient must stop receiving.

5 Contraindications

Of course, such a study is rare when it has consequences, and the patients themselves almost never experience any discomfort. But, nevertheless, there are a number of contraindications to the procedure:

1. Colonoscopy is not performed if the patient has had a period of exacerbation of such ailments as Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis or an attack of a diverticulum.
2. Pregnant women are also not always allowed to be manipulated.
3. Certain kinds of diseases can become an obstacle to colonoscopy, for example, AIDS.

Typically, a specialist is looking for more sparing diagnostic methods if his patient has at least one of the above states. In the reverse cases, an open surgical procedure is prescribed.

Many people are interested in the question, but how painful is this procedure? It has already been noted that while the study is underway, the patient sleeps under anesthesia. Accordingly, he does not experience any uncomfortable sensations.

Of course, there are cases when anesthesia is not performed, but, nevertheless, patients do not complain about the sensation of pain. The only discomfort that can be caused is psychological. Therefore, it is very important to properly adjust yourself to colonoscopy of the intestine.

6 Are there complications after manipulation?

In modern medicine, this kind of diagnostics is used very often, as it is painless and carries almost no complications. But it also happens that some side effects appear. These include:

1. Perforation. This complication affects only 1% of patients. To cope with this problem, the doctor can prescribe an operation that will allow to restore the damaged area of ​​the organ.
2. Response to anesthesia. To avoid this, the patient must necessarily tell the specialist about the presence of an allergy. This will help to choose the right anesthetic or the procedure will be carried out without using it.
3. Bleeding. This problem is extremely rare( 0.1% of all cases).This complication manifests itself during manipulation, and after them, even after a few days. In the first case, it is stopped by cauterizing sick vessels or injecting adrenaline, as this substance helps to narrow the vessels. In the second variant, the patient must urgently inform the situation of his attending physician, since special surgical intervention may be necessary here.
4. Infection. This may be due to the fact that the doctor uses an unsterile instrument or does not follow the procedure. To avoid this, you must carefully choose a medical institution for manipulation, which has authority and positive feedback about the work.
5. If the colonoscopy was used not only for diagnosis, but also for the removal of polyps, then a few days after the operation the patient will feel pain in the abdominal region and his temperature may rise.

The rarest complication of a colonoscopy is the rupture of the spleen. But everything depends on the general health and qualification of the doctor.

To minimize the occurrence of any side effects, the patient must exactly follow all the instructions of his or her treating physician. Firstly, this will reduce any discomfort to zero, and secondly, it will give the maximum results in the survey. If the patient has anxiety symptoms( temperature, bleeding, nausea, etc.) that lasts more than one day, then it is better to seek help from a doctor immediately, otherwise this can lead to serious consequences.