Colonoscopy

What is colonoscopy?

Colonoscopy is a minimally invasive procedure for detecting early signs of colorectal cancers. The Colon and Rectal Surgeons of Greater Hartford team can also use a colonoscopy to treat these early stages of cancer.

Colorectal cancers develop in the colon and rectum, that final sections of your digestive system. These cancers develop from polyps, which are small growths in the lining of your colon. Most polyps aren’t cancerous and don’t cause any problems. However, a few could mutate and become cancerous.

Finding these polyps before cancer has a chance to spread is the most effective way of preventing colon and rectal cancers. These conditions are a leading cause of both premature death and life-altering surgery in the United States, despite the availability of colorectal cancer screening.

What happens during a colonoscopy?

Colonoscopy is an outpatient procedure. You’re given a sedative to keep you relaxed. It might be a little uncomfortable, but this is insignificant compared to the devastating effects of having colon cancer.

You lay on a treatment table on your left-hand side, with your knees bent. Your provider then inserts a long, thin tube called a colonoscope into your rectum. The colonoscope has a camera on the end that sends back clear pictures of the lining of your colon to a monitor in the treatment room.

The colonoscope can travel all the way along your colon to the small intestine, so your provider can see if there are any polyps. If they do find any, they can remove them before they turn cancerous.

The team at Colon and Rectal Surgeons of Greater Hartford specializes in using gastrointestinal endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) to remove the early stages of colorectal cancers that might otherwise require surgical resection. 

When should I have a colonoscopy?

The American Cancer Society recommends that everyone should start having colonoscopy to screen for colorectal cancer at 45.

If you’re at a higher risk of getting colorectal cancer, you might need to start when you’re younger. Higher risk means having a family history of colorectal and other cancers and conditions like inflammatory bowel disease.

More men than women develop colorectal cancer, but screening is still vital for women. Your provider at Colon and Rectal Surgeons of Greater Hartford can advise you when you should start undergoing colorectal cancer screening and how often you should have a colonoscopy.

Knowing how many lives colorectal cancer screening could save, the practice is passionate about promoting their colonoscopy services. To encourage people to get the screening, they provide a convenient colonoscopy clinic on Saturdays as well as during the week.

Find out more about colonoscopy or arrange your colorectal cancer screening by calling Colon and Rectal Surgeons of Greater Hartford today or book an appointment online.