Learn why this essential test is key to your health.
Get ready with step-by-step guidance.
Understand what happens during the test.
Discover how we prioritize your comfort.
Be informed about potential complications.
A successful colonoscopy procedure relies on a good preparation. It is critical to clean out stool from the bowel to allow the physician to clearly see the walls of the colon, which will help them to detect any growths or abnormalities. A clean colon can also help shorten the time it takes to complete your procedure.
This site was created to provide patients with the resources, guidance, and information they need to prepare effectively for their procedure, ensuring a smoother and more successful experience.
A colonoscopy is a medical procedure that allows a doctor, to examine the inside of the large intestine (colon) and rectum using a long, flexible tube called a colonoscope. The colonoscope is equipped with a small camera and a light, which transmits images to a monitor, enabling the doctor to view and evaluate the health of the colon lining.
During the procedure, the doctor can also remove polyps (abnormal tissue growths), take biopsies (tissue samples), and identify any signs of inflammation, ulcers, or other abnormalities.
If you have a family history of colon cancer or certain medical conditions, your doctor may recommend starting colonoscopy screenings earlier or undergoing them more frequently. It’s a critical tool in maintaining digestive health and preventing serious complications.
What are the benefits?
A successful colonoscopy procedure relies on a good preparation. It is critical to clean out stool from the bowel to allow the physician to clearly see the walls of the colon, which will help them to detect any growths or abnormalities. A clean colon can also help shorten the time it takes to complete your procedure. To prepare for a colonoscopy, you need to change your diet in the days leading up to the test, and need to complete a bowel preparation which is a specially formulated drink used to clean out stool from the bowel.
By the end of your bowel preparation, the liquid you are passing into the toilet should be clear or nearly clear with a slight yellow tinge. If you are still passing out solid stool or dark brown liquid that you cannot see through, please alert your nurse or physician as you may require an enema to clear remaining stool from the bowel.
Our SMS notification system is designed to help patients confidently prepare for their colonoscopy with timely, easy-to-follow reminders. Preparing for a colonoscopy can be daunting, but with our automated system, patients receive clear instructions and checklists sent straight to their phones at the right time.
Key features include:
This system empowers patients to stay on track, ensuring a smooth preparation process, better test results, and a more comfortable experience. By eliminating guesswork, it supports both patients and healthcare providers in achieving successful outcomes.
This system empowers patients to stay on track, ensuring a smooth preparation process, better test results, and a more comfortable experience. By eliminating guesswork, it supports both patients and healthcare providers in achieving successful outcomes.
A colonoscopy procedure typically takes anywhere from 15-30 minutes depending on how windy or twisty the bowel is. The physician will pass the colonoscope from the anus to the beginning of the colon, where the small intestine meets the large intestine, and then will slowly withdraw and remove the colonoscope carefully checking the lining of the colon for any growths or other abnormalities. During the procedure the physician may put water or carbon dioxide into the bowel to allow a better examination of the colon wall for any abnormalities.
It is normal to have some discomfort during the colonoscopy, though your doctor will do their best to minimize this. Discomfort during colonoscopy is temporary and occurs when the bowel feels stretch, such as when going around a tight corner, or due to feeling full from the gas that the physician uses to open up the bowel to examine it. While the bowel does not feel the traditional sharp of a pin prick or temperature such as hot or cold, it does have pressure sensors that feel when the bowel is being stretched.
During the procedure, the doctor can also remove polyps (abnormal tissue growths), take biopsies (tissue samples), and identify any signs of inflammation, ulcers, or other abnormalities.
If you have a family history of colon cancer or certain medical conditions, your doctor may recommend starting colonoscopy screenings earlier or undergoing them more frequently. It’s a critical tool in maintaining digestive health and preventing serious complications.
We use a combination of medications given by intravenous to provide light sedation and pain control for patients having a colonoscopy. The medications we use can often trick someone into forgetting the procedure or thinking that they were asleep, though we are quite careful with the dosing. Our goal is your comfort, rather than trying to make you sleep through or forget the colonoscopy test. Most patients are awake through the procedure.
Many individuals have minimal discomfort during the procedure and watch the test on the video monitor. Some individuals complete their procedure without any sedation which shortens their stay after the procedure and allows them to drive themselves to and from their appointment.
On the other hand, some patients have a long, winding (“twisty or tortuous”) bowel and can find the procedure uncomfortable or even painful. This is a smaller subset of patients. We do our best to adjust the medications that we give to keep you as comfortable as possible through the procedure. Certain conditions such as narrowing of the colon, or diverticulosis (also called diverticular disease) can lead to more discomfort during the colonoscopy test.
By the end of your bowel preparation, the liquid you are passing into the toilet should be clear or nearly clear with a slight yellow tinge. If you are still passing out solid stool or dark brown liquid that you cannot see through, please alert your nurse or physician as you may require an enema to clear remaining stool from the bowel.
Colonoscopy is a very safe and common procedure, however, like all procedures it does carry some risks. The rate of serious complications from colonoscopy is very low, far less than 1%, but important risks to consider include bad reactions to the preparation (bowel cleanse) including nausea or vomiting, abdominal discomfort, or possibly electrolyte imbalances.
If you are on dialysis, please alert your colonoscopy physician and your kidney specialist as the preparation for the colonoscopy may be slightly different.
Serious risks that can happen during the procedure include causing a hole or tear in the bowel wall, or serious bleeding, which can occur when taking larger polyps off of the colon wall. This is not common, but if it occurs it can be serious and life threatening and can require emergency surgery to repair. Colonoscopy is a very good test for detecting polyps, but no test is perfect, and it is possible to miss polyps and even cancers with a colonoscopy.
The quality of the colonoscopy depends a lot on how clean the colon is, which allows the physician to have a good inspection of the bowel.
We pride ourselves on openness and transparency as it is vital that our patients have an incredible level of confidence in us, our programming, and our resources. Our premium expertise drives us to effectuate positive change in the long-term health and well-being of our patients.
Take the next step in prioritizing your health today. With our commitment to transparency and expertise, we ensure your comfort and confidence throughout the process. Schedule your colonoscopy now and let us help you take charge of your long-term well-being.