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Because most people, like yourself, dread the laxative prep and sedation, not to mention the procedure itself. But a colonoscopy is not your only option for screening for colon cancer.
Routine use of colonoscopy screening varies globally. In the US, colonoscopy is a commonly recommended and widely utilized screening method for colorectal cancer, often beginning at age 45 or 50, depending on risk factors and guidelines from organizations like the American Cancer Society. [9] However, screening practices differ worldwide.
Here's how to prepare for the screening and what happens during the procedure.
A colonoscopy is considered the best way to screen for colon cancer because it allows doctors to remove polyps — small growths in the colon — before they potentially turn cancerous.
Virtual colonoscopy (VC, also called CT colonography or CT pneumocolon) is the use of CT scanning or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to produce two- and three-dimensional images of the colon (large intestine), from the lowest part, the rectum, to the lower end of the small intestine, and to display the images on an electronic display device.
Many patients would prefer to be knocked out, and in recent years anesthesia has grown more common for these procedures. In 2009, an estimated $1.1 billion was spent on traditional anesthesia services for colonoscopies, according to one research study. Sedation can cost even more than the colonoscopy, with anesthesiology fees adding up to $2,000.
A Florida doctor was placed on probation after state health officials said he began performing a colonoscopy without his hearing aids and did not know the patient wasn't fully sedated, according ...
The procedure usually takes thirty minutes to an hour followed by a one to two hour observation period. Complications include bloating, cramping, a reaction to anesthesia, bleeding, and a hole through the wall of the colon that may require repeat colonoscopy or surgery. Signs of a serious complication requiring urgent or emergent medical ...