Minggu, 19 Juni 2016

Basic Facts Related To Colonoscopy Morrilton AR Clients Need To Be Aware Of

By Elizabeth Nelson


Colonoscopy is an important investigation used to assess lesions that affect the digestive tract. Examples include cancerous lesions, bleeding ulcers and polyps among others. The investigation is conducted using an instrument known as a colonoscopy. Potential candidates are persons that have digestive system disorders such as pain, bleeding and constipation. As they plan to have colonoscopy Morrilton AR clients should understand a number of things.

Aside from being a useful procedure in the identification of lesions within the colon, colonoscopy is also a useful procedure in treating some of these conditions. These include, for example, placing hemostatic bands to stop bleeding ulcers and removing colonic polyps. Another application is in screening of cancers in the general population. If suspicious lesions are seen, specimens are obtained and taken for histology to confirm or rule out cancer.

Some form of preparation is required before one undergoes the investigation. One of the most important steps during the preparation stage is what is referred to as colon cleansing. Colon cleansing is typically done in a day or two. The act itself is fairly straightforward and involves the taking of laxatives to empty the gut. Newer, more effective laxatives that achieve the desired effect in a couple of hours are now available in the market.

Doctors will usually recommend that one replaces a solid diet with more liquids such as water, coffee, tea, gelatin and clear juices. Purple and red colored drinks are usually discouraged as they may alter the appearance of the mucosa within the large intestine. This may lead to misdiagnoses. You need to expect increased bowel motility and diarrhea due to the liquid diet prescribed.

The next stage in preparation is to determine the drug history. This is important because a number of drugs are known to increase the risk of bleeding. Examples include blood thinners such as heparin and warfarin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin. These drugs need to be stopped about two weeks in advance before the procedure is performed. Smoking should also be stopped momentarily for the same reasons.

A major advantage of this investigation is the fact that it can be performed in a private office or outpatient department of a hospital. Neither regional nor general anesthesia is needed but sedation becomes important in most cases due to the mild pain and discomfort that some patients report. The discomfort is mainly caused by the entry of the colonoscope into the rectum and colon. Taking a deep breath also helps minimize the unpleasant feeling.

The procedure should take 45 minutes to one hour in the absence of complications. The sedation that is used reduces the level of consciousness and a few hours are usually needed for the effects to wear of. Most hospitals will discharge you on the same day but a few may retain you for about 24 hours. Due to the dehydration resulting from the preparation stage, patients are advised to drink lots of water and other fluids.

Colonoscopy is largely a safe procedure. Bleeding is the most serious complication especially when cancerous lesions and ulcers are present but a rare complication when the gut is normal. Other possible complications include vomiting, dizziness, nausea and fever. Many of them will resolve spontaneously in a few hours.




About the Author:



Tidak ada komentar:

Posting Komentar