WHAT IF COLONOSCOPY SHOWS AN ABNORMALITY?
If your surgeon sees an area that needs more detailed evaluation, a biopsy may be obtained and submitted to a laboratory for analysis. Placing a special instrument through the colonoscope to sample the lining of the colon does this. Polyps are generally removed. The majority of polyps are benign (non-cancerous), but your surgeon cannot always tell by the appearance alone. They can be removed by burning (fulgurating) or by a wire loop (snare). It may take your surgeon more than one sitting to do this if there are numerous polyps or they are very large. Sites of bleeding can be identified and controlled by injecting certain medications or coagulating (burning) the bleeding vessels. Biopsies do not imply cancer, however, removal of a colonic polyp is an important means of preventing colo-rectal cancer. WHAT HAPPENS AFTER COLONOSCOPY? Your surgeon will explain the results to you after your procedure or at your follow up visit. You may have some mild cramping or bloating from the air that w
