In order for the doctor to clearly see the folds and walls of the colon, things have to be clean - squeaky clean. While I did feel some very slight cramping and gas, I was fine. The procedure takes about 30 minutes to complete and could take a bit longer if there are any polyps or tissues that need to be removed. As long as you don’t have any abnormal anatomy, it’s absolutely fine if you don’t want sedation.” “It’s not critical that they have to have sedation and in some instances, it makes sense that they don’t. Mark Rosenblatt, a gastroenterologist with UCHealth. “I definitely have a number of patients for a variety of reasons don’t want to have sedation,” said Dr. Most patients opt for the sedative, but the procedure can also be done while the patient is awake and alert.
The colonoscope has a light, a camera and other tools that allow the doctor to see, record and photograph the procedure as well as remove any tissue or polyps for biopsies.ĭuring the procedure, patients are given a light sedative and pain reliever that helps relax the patient and often causes them to fall asleep. (Photo courtesy UCHealth)Īnd if you haven’t figured it out already, there’s only one way in and one way out of the colon: through the anus.ĭuring a colonoscopy, a doctor inserts a long, flexible tube, called a colonoscope, into the anus and gently threads it up into the four areas of the colon. Mark Rosenblatt is a gastroenterologist with UCHealth.
The job of the large intestine is to absorb water and electrolytes from digested food that comes from the small intestine as well as store stool until it is ready to be expelled. The large intestine is connected to the small intestine, which measures a whopping 22-25 feet. The large intestine, or colon, measures about 5 feet long and has a smooth inner wall. The large intestine is comprised of four main areas: the sigmoid colon, descending colon, transverse colon and ascending colon.