Are you approaching age 50? Has your primary care physician referred you for a colonoscopy? If so, contact the gastroenterologists at Comprehensive Digestive Institute of Nevada in both Las Vegas and Henderson, NV. Here, your team of gastroenterologists performs high-resolution colon examinations that are both comfortable and able to yield accurate results.
Why should you get a colonoscopy?
A colonoscopy yields clear images and real-time videos of the interior of the colon/large intestine. This simple screening test tells your doctor if you have, or at risk for, colon cancer, the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States, according to the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).
Because colon-rectal cancer risk increases with age, colonoscopy screenings beginning at 50 are important, even life-saving. These tests reveal the presence of colon polyps, small benign growths that may become cancerous over time. In fact, all colon malignancies arise from polyps. This is why your gastroenterologists in Las Vegas and Henderson, NV, want to see, remove, and biopsy them.
The procedure
The day before your test, your doctors here at Comprehensive Digestive Institute of Nevada will ask you to complete a colon cleansing with fasting, laxatives, and clear liquids. When you arrive the next day, you will be given medication to relax your body, and depending on your particular protocol, light sedation or anesthesia, as well.
Next, the doctor uses a thin, lighted endoscope to view the entire length of your large intestine, starting with the anus and rectum. He'll take pictures throughout and tissue samples as needed. This examination takes about 30 minutes, and most patients feel drowsy or even sleep all the way through.
In the recovery room, your physician will review the results with you, and afterward, a friend or relative will drive you home to rest for the rest of the day.
Other uses for colonoscopy
Besides screening for cancer and polyps, a colonoscopy can reveal the causes of diarrhea, abdominal pain, and rectal bleeding. Conditions uncovered include:
- Diverticulosis
- Irritable Bowel Disease
- Intestinal obstructions
Know your colon health
Colonoscopy can help you know all about it, and when it comes to colon cancer, this easy test could save your life. For more information about this and our other state of the art GI procedures, contact Comprehensive Digestive Institute of Nevada. We are open Monday through Friday 8 am to 5 pm. Phone either one of our offices in Las Vegas or Henderson, NV, today by dialing (702) 483-4483.