Colonoscopy

What is a colonoscopy?

A colonoscopy is an exam that allows your gastroenterologist to examine the lining of your colon. During the procedure, they insert a colonoscope, which is a thin, flexible tube with a light and camera, into your anus, and slowly advance it through your rectum and large intestine.

The colonoscope transmits images to a computer screen, allowing Dr. Bearelly to examine the lining of the colon, remove colon polyps, and biopsy abnormal tissue.

Dr. Bearelly is an experienced gastroenterologist who is proficient at performing colonoscopies. 

Why would I need a colonoscopy?

At Gastrocare of Southwest Ohio LLC, Dr. Bearelly reviews why you need a colonoscopy during an initial consultation. He routinely performs colonoscopies for both screening and diagnostic purposes. 

In many cases, he performs the procedure to determine the underlying cause of gastrointestinal symptoms, such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, or bloody stools.

A colonoscopy may help diagnose various gastrointestinal conditions such as:

• Ulcerative colitis
• Crohn’s disease
• Colon polyps
• Diverticulosis

Colonoscopies are also considered the gold standard for colon cancer screening. A colonoscopy is the most effective colon cancer screening tool.

How do I prepare for a colonoscopy?

Dr. Bearelly provides detailed instructions on how to prepare for your colonoscopy, such as bowel prep. 

The purpose of the bowel prep is to clear your colon of stool and debris so Dr. Bearelly can see the intestinal lining without obstruction. It may include a clear liquid diet the day prior to your procedure and a laxative to clear out stool.

For further information on how to prepare for a colonoscopy, please see our Procedure Instructions.

What happens during a colonoscopy?

To minimize pain and anxiety, Dr. Bearelly first administers a sedative.

Once properly sedated, he inserts the colonoscope. The entire test takes about 30 minutes. 

After your colonoscopy, Dr. Bearelly sends you to the recovery area and reviews the initial findings of the test with you. If you had a biopsy, he might schedule a follow-up appointment to discuss the results. Your results will be available on MyChart and the practice will also call you when your results are ready.

Once you recover from sedation, Dr. Bearelly sends you home with a friend or family member. You need to take it easy for the rest of the day.

What is Cologuard®?

Cologuard is an at-home screening test that uses a stool sample to detect signs of colorectal cancer. For some low-risk patients, Cologuard may be used as a noninvasive alternative to a colonoscopy. 

Cologuard is currently the only stool-DNA test that has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

How does Cologuard work?

Cologuard tests your stool for DNA markers and the presence of blood. Information from the DNA markers may signal the presence of precancerous and cancerous cells somewhere in your colon. Blood testing isn’t quite as informative because other colon conditions can bleed.

But Cologuard isn’t intended for everyone. The company emphasizes that you should have a colonoscopy if you’re at high risk for colon cancer.

You should also know that Cologuard test results can be wrong. A negative result doesn’t always confirm you’re free of cancer. At the same time, a positive test also doesn’t mean you have cancer for sure.

And here’s the kicker: If you have a positive Cologuard test, you still need to get a colonoscopy to determine if you actually have cancer and to treat the problem.

Did you know that most insurance companies will only pay for one colon cancer screening test? If you go with Cologuard first, they won’t cover the follow-up colonoscopy that’s essential for determining if you have colon cancer.

What are the disadvantages of Cologuard compared to a colonoscopy?

It’s true that Cologuard is noninvasive, and you do it at home. But that convenience may not be offset by the test’s disadvantages:

• Cologuard only detects cancer after it develops
• Cologuard misses 8% of colon cancers
• Cologuard misses 60% of advanced polyps
• Cologuard has a 13% false-positive rate
• Cologuard must be repeated every three years

By comparison, most patients only need to repeat a colonoscopy every 10 years, and it’s the only colon cancer screening test that’s acceptable for patients who have symptoms.

A colonoscopy is the gold standard for detecting all cancerous and precancerous tumors. Simply put, colonoscopies are the only way to prevent colon cancer.

To schedule a colonoscopy with a skilled gastroenterologist, call Gastrocare of Southwest Ohio LLC, or request a consultation online today.