Anesthesia with colonoscopy, colonoscopy without anesthesia
Colonoscopy is used to diagnose diseases of the large intestine, including benign and malignant tumors. Doctors and scientists believe that the prevention of colorectal cancer and its detection in the early stages is an important reason for conducting screening, starting from the age of 50.Colonoscopy under anesthesia is often carried out because this procedure is rather painful.
What is a colonoscopy?
A colonoscopy is a procedure that allows a doctor to examine the inside of the patient's large intestine. For this purpose, a flexible and thin tube called a colonoscope is used, at the end of which there is a small video camera that transmits the image to the monitor.
Colonoscopy helps detect ulcers, polyps, swellings and areas of inflammation or bleeding in the large intestine. During its carrying out it is possible to take tissue samples( biopsy) for further laboratory examination.
Colonoscopy is one of the tests used to detect and screen colon cancer.
This diagnostic method is also used to identify the cause:
- bleeding from the large intestine;
- chronic diarrhea;
- iron deficiency anemia;
- unexplained weight loss;
- of inflammatory bowel disease;
- prolonged unexplained abdominal pain.
Despite the high diagnostic value of this study, its use is limited by painful sensations during conduction. To reduce or eliminate pain in the colonoscopy, anesthesia is increasingly used.
Types of anesthesia with colonoscopy
Most patients with fear refer to this examination, and they are interested in whether it will not hurt when colonoscopy of the intestine is without anesthesia. It should be noted that the degree of discomfort depends on the individual characteristics of each person's pain perception. Some patients tolerate colonoscopy fairly calmly, while others suffer severe pain, which does not allow a full examination.
Nevertheless, all people who have not undergone anesthesia during colonoscopy remain negative associations with this examination, which is why most of them refuse to repeat procedures.
Many people who are to be examined are interested in , what anesthesia is done with a colonoscopy.
There are two main methods used in this procedure :
- General anesthesia( actually anesthesia) - a person is unconscious during the examination, he does not feel anything and does not remember the procedure.
- Medical sleep( sedation) - the patient is administered colonoscopy drugs that have a soothing and analgesic effect. Nevertheless, he remains half-conscious and can remember some points of the procedure.
Each of these techniques has its pluses and minuses. For example, the positive side of the colonoscopy with anesthesia is that the patient does not feel anything at all during the procedure and does not remember anything. Disadvantages of this method are the danger of suppressing the protective reflexes of the larynx, a longer recovery after the procedure.
The pluses of a colonoscopy in a dream include partial preservation of consciousness during the procedure and a more rapid recovery after it, and to the minuses - the possibility of pain or discomfort in the examination.
It should be noted that under anesthesia, both colonoscopy and FGDS( gastroscopy) are sometimes performed simultaneously. However, such a survey tactic should be used only in exceptional situations, since it increases the risk of complications.
If anyone doubts that it is better to do a colonoscopy with or without anesthesia, he can always discuss all possible risks and potential benefits with physicians.
Who shows anesthesia with a colonoscopy?
The patient's desire is a sufficient indication for anesthesia during colonoscopy. Especially its use in this procedure is desirable in people with severe concomitant diseases, in which pain during the survey can cause life-threatening complications. In such cases, anesthesia should not be frightened, since the pain experienced in a colonoscopy is much more dangerous for the patient's body. Contraindications
Currently, physicians have a broad spectrum of drugs which can be used for drug-induced sleep or anesthesia during colonoscopy. If there are contraindications to one of them, another means is used.
With caution, colonoscopy should be performed under general anesthesia in patients who used food or liquid before the examination. In any case, anesthesia is performed by an anesthesiologist, who can assess all the risk factors before the procedure.
Colonoscopy itself also has contraindications to which the belongs:
- patient failure;
- presence or suspected presence of large intestine perforation;
- toxic megacolon and malignant colitis;
- is a clinically unstable patient;
- recent myocardial infarction;
- poor bowel preparation;
- symptoms of irritation of the peritoneum.
Preparation for
procedures for conducting a successful colonoscopy, the colon must be empty so that the doctor can clearly see its internal structure. When the intestine is filled with feces, the examination will be ineffective, so it may be necessary to repeat it.
Typically, for emptying bowel recommend:
- 5 days before colonoscopy - not take antidiarrheals drugs, food additives with cellulose, which comprise iron( e.g., multivitamins), vitamin E.
- 3 daysBefore the colonoscopy - do not eat foods rich in fiber.
- 1 day before the colonoscopy - the whole day you can consume only clear liquids and you can not eat any solid food. On this day, also a laxative is taken, according to his instructions.
Many are interested in how to prepare for a colonoscopy under anesthesia.
should be noted that the features of the training is not so much :
- Explore the anesthesiologist prior to the examination.
- Refuse from eating any food and liquids 8 hours before the procedure.
Technique for carrying out
This examination can be performed in outpatient or inpatient settings. If the colonoscopy is under anesthesia, an intravenous catheter is placed before it is performed. Then drugs for sedation or general anesthesia are administered.
After this, the examination is carried out, during which the doctor uses the colonoscope to study the internal structure of the large intestine. After the procedure, the patient needs to stay in the medical institution for a while while the effect of the injected medicines passes.
Possible complications
Conducting a colonoscopy is accompanied by some risks.
Complications rarely occur during this procedure include :
- Adverse reactions to sedatives used during the examination.
- Bleeding from the site of biopsy or polyp removal.
- Rupture of the wall of the large intestine.
Colonoscopy is a diagnostic method that is highly effective in detecting various diseases of the large intestine. Many people refuse this examination, as it is accompanied by severe discomfort and pain. Nevertheless, colonoscopy, like gastroscopy, can be done under anesthesia, which will save you from these troubles.
Author: Taras Nevelichuk doctor,
specifically for Moizhivot.ru
