How to Prepare for a Colonoscopy

For today, the colonoscopy offers the most informative and safe method of research of the large intestine.

With a colonoscopy, it is possible to detect diseases:

• diverticula;
• cancer;
• polyps;
• ulcerative colitis and others.

Sometimes this procedure allows to carry out operations directly on the intestine( removal of polyps).

Today, colonoscopy is done in diagnostic centers or specialized clinics.

Before starting a colonoscopy session, the patient is asked to lie on his side on the couch. Then he is given anesthesia, and the patient calmly falls asleep. He wakes up when the examination session is over.

Colonoscope ( a special flexible video probe equipped with a light source) is used to examine the inner shell of the intestine. The doctor sees the resulting image on a computer monitor.

In addition, the colonoscope has several additional channels through which special tools are inserted into the intestine. Using these tools, the physician is able to take tissue samples, remove polyps, stop the bleeding .

A colonoscope through the anus is inserted into the intestine and gently advances inside the large intestine until the small intestine begins.

After completing the study, the doctor gently extracts the probe from the patient's intestine.

The average duration of the procedure is about 30 minutes.

The effects of anesthesia - drowsiness and weakness, quickly pass, leaving no pain or discomfort afterwards.

A new method for intestine examination - virtual colonoscopy allows you to obtain images of the intestinal mucosa by means of computed tomography.

For clarity of image in the intestine of the patient under pressure, air is pumped. The detail of the image and lower traumaticity distinguish the virtual colonoscopy from the usual one.

The disadvantages of virtual colonoscopy can be called high cost of equipment and examination, as well as discomfort caused by air pumped into the intestine.

It is known that every year in the world thousands of people die from bowel oncology, although the cancer progresses very slowly( about ten years) and it is very well treated in the early stages of development.

For the detection of bowel cancer doctors recommend that all people who have crossed the threshold of 50 years of age undergo a colonoscope examination every 5-7 years.

For qualitative examination, the correct preparation for colonoscopy of the intestine is needed.

How to properly prepare for a colonoscopy

Proper preparation for a colonoscopy requires the patient to perform mandatory colon cleansing sessions and adhere to a prescribed special diet.

Diet before colonoscopy requires from the patient:

• before the colonoscopy procedure, it is necessary to drink at least three liters of water during the day and completely refuse to eat;
• in the evening of the same day should be abandoned and the reception of water.

Purification of the intestine is necessary to obtain the maximum accuracy when processing the results of the examination. Therefore, before the examination, the patient must completely free his bowel from the stool. For this, the diet described above and the intake of laxative solutions should be sufficient.

Foreign physicians recommend the cleansing of the intestine solution of polyethylene glycol ( per four liters of water).The resulting solution must be drunk the previous night for three hours.

You can use another very effective means of cleansing the intestine, with a solution of lactulose( dyufaklak) .To obtain this solution, it is necessary to dissolve 100 ml of lactulose in three liters of water. Then during the day preceding the procedure of a colonoscopy, you must drink this solution. After a while, a loose stool should begin. There may be pain and bloating.

Preparation for colonoscopy of the intestine will be successful if you use the drug Fortrans. Pharmacy packaging accommodates four such sachets. They should be used all at once, if your weight is more than 80 kilograms. And for a weight of less than 80 kilograms, you can use three Fortran sachets. One packet is bred in a liter of water and drunk for about four hours. The liquid stool that appears after taking the drug will end in about three hours. It is not necessary to put enemas .Fortrans will complete the preparation for the colonoscopy to "excellent"!

Fleet Phospho-Soda has a similar action. This drug is contained in vials( 45 ml).Take it twice a day( instead of breakfast and after a light dinner).Instead of lunch, you can drink only water. The bottle of the drug is diluted in half a glass of water and drunk. After this, you need to drink it with a glass of water( you can two).The chair lasts until six o'clock. Enema here too, do not come in handy!

Do not forget! !!

If you are taking medications that contain anti-inflammatory drugs( ibuprofen, indomethacin, diclofenac, asprin, warfarin) before the colonoscopy, tell your doctor about it. After consultation with the doctor, the use of these medications should be suspended at least one day before the start of the examination.