Coloscopie

Photograph source: ULM university
A colonoscopy is currently the main examination carried out to establish whether there are
any abnormalities of the large intestine. At the same time, a biopsy can be taken that can be
examined under the microscope immediately. Sometimes an X-ray is also required.
It is very important for this examination for the intestine to be empty. All stool residues must
be evacuated from the large intestine. This is why you should follow a residue-free diet for
three days and you will be given laxatives.
What is expected of you:
• Follow a residue-free diet and drink a lot for three days • If you are chronically constipated, start the diet six days beforehand. • The day before the examination: only liquid food (no milk!). ªAllowed: broth, sugared water, soft drinks, Nutridrink (available from
ªCompulsory: drink 4 litres of Klean-Prep spread over the entire day
Instructions for preparing KLEAN-PREP. Dissolve 1 sachet of KLEAN-PREP in 1 litre of still water. Mix well until the powder has completely dissolved. In this way you will make a total of four litres. Place the 4 litres of dissolved liquid in the fridge. It will taste better if drunk cold. You can also add grenadine for the flavour. 1 litre KLEAN-PREP between 8.00 and 10.00 am 1 litre KLEAN-PREP between 12 noon and 2.00 pm 1 litre KLEAN-PREP between 4.00 and 6.00 pm 1 litre KLEAN-PREP between 8.00 pm and 10.00 pm • Day of appointment: Do not breakfast, but you may drink water.
People suffering from constipation would do best to follow the residue-free diet for six days
and try to drink between two and three litres of water every day.
What you should take into account:
KLEAN-PREP is designed to rinse the large intestine and this results in watery stools. There
may be some nausea, a bloated feeling, intestinal cramps and tingling around the anus.
It is quite usual to have no or far less bowel movement when you follow the diet, since your
large intestine if virtually empty. You are not constipated and your bowel movement will
gradually return to normal once you begin eating normally again.
A diabetes diet or a diet with limited salt intake, prescribed by a general practitioner, should
not be stopped but the residue-free diet should be adapted to it.
Some drugs need to be stopped in time. Consult your general practitioner (family doctor)
about this
Maria Theresiastraat 63A 3000 Leuven 016/310 100 Heldenlaan 69 1970 Wezembeek-Oppem 02/785 03 45 - anti-coagulants (Sintrom, Marevan, Marcoumar,) - Asaflow or all aspirin-based medication - iron supplements. - The taking of Ticlid or Plavix, when taken due to the presence of a stent, must NOT be stopped on account of the risk of restenosis in the stent – although the risk of bleeding is then increased if a polyp is removed. It is best to take with you a list of the medication you take for the specialist planning the
examination and the specialist conducting the examination.
It is also important for the specialist to be aware of any other health problems, in particular
heart and lung problems, artificial heart valves and pregnancy.
The examination is conducted under sedation (light anaesthetic).
It is advisable to arrange for someone to drive you to the examination and take you home
again.
The examination:
At the start of the examination an anaesthetic, analgesic drug will be administered to increase
comfort during the examination and relax the large intestine as much as possible.
The large intestine is examined using a flexible tube known as the colonoscope. This is
inserted via the anus and pushed through to the end of the small intestine. Other instruments
can be inserted through the colonoscope to take tissue samples or administer treatments.
The specialist often takes biopsies from one or more places to gather information about the
condition of the mucous membrane, beyond that which he can see with the naked eye. If a
polyp is found, he removes this straight away if necessary. The examination takes
approximately 30 minutes.
What is a polyp:
Polyps are enlarged growths in the mucous membrane of the intestine. If their size and
position allow, they will be removed immediately. A heated loop is used for this purpose
(=electrical bistoury). Removing a polyp can cause bleeding. Sometimes for 24 hours,
sometimes for up to a week afterwards.
Photograph source: ULM university

Is a colonoscopy safe:
A colonoscopy of the large intestine, possibly with the removal of polyps, is now a routine
examination. Nevertheless, in very exceptional cases complications may arise such as:
• Damage to or perforation of the intestine wall by the endoscope, after removal of a large polyp. This may make a small operation necessary. If a large polyp has to be removed, the specialist will discuss this with you beforehand. Sometimes hospitalisation is planned. • Sometimes removing polyps can cause slight bleeding. In most cases this can be remedied immediately by means of a local injection of medication via the endoscope. • If bleeding occurs when you are at home, contact your general practitioner or the Maria Theresiastraat 63A 3000 Leuven 016/310 100 Heldenlaan 69 1970 Wezembeek-Oppem 02/785 03 45 specialist who carried out the examination. In case of In extremely rare cases hypersensitive reactions may occur as a result of the medication administered. • If you would like more details about this, talk to your Symptoms that may point to a complication:
• pain in the chest or stomach • fever • bringing up blood • blood loss in stools In these cases it is very important that you consult your specialist. After the examination:
Because of the anaesthetic you have you stay after the procedure until the effects of the
substance have worn off (one to two hours). You may not drive or engage in any other
potentially dangerous activities for the next 12 hours.
After the examination you may experience stomach cramps and a bloated feeling. This is
because of the air that is injected during the examination. This will soon disappear if you can
break wind a little.
Generally speaking you will be able to eat normally after the examination. In some cases the
specialist may prescribe a diet for a short period, for instance after the removal of a polyp.
Starting any anti-coagulant medication again will be discussed with the specialist who
conducted the examination or with your general practitioner.
Result:
The specialist sends the results to your general practitioner. Only he/she can discuss the
results with you


Maria Theresiastraat 63A 3000 Leuven 016/310 100 Heldenlaan 69 1970 Wezembeek-Oppem 02/785 03 45 BREAKFAST: white bread or rusk, spread as usual with butter or margarine, smoke-dried meat or boiled liver, sliced roast beef, hard-boiled egg, young firm cheese or white cottage cheese, coffee or tea as preferred with sugar. LUNCH: defatted stock, tapioca or vermicelli, boiled rice with butter and margarine, veal stew, sieved fruit juice, dry cake, still water or mineral water. TEA TIME: white bread or rusk, spread as usual with butter or margarine, honey or jelly, tea with sugar as preferred. EVENING MEAL: same as breakfast Do not forget to drink enough between meals (3 litres per day)! forbidden
permitted
cereal products
dairy products
high-fat cheese browned butter or margarine, frying butter, fresh or melted, non- fats and eggs
fatty sauces, mayonnaise, béarnaise sauce, tartar sauce, eggs (except for hard boiled) sweets containing fruit or nuts, jam, sugar, jelly, fruit syrup, honey sugar, sweets
meat, fish and
potatoes
- all forms of potatoes all vegetables, leguminous plants fruit and vegetables and fruit
desserts
seasoning, peanut butter, white sauce fizzy drinks, alcoholic beverages Maria Theresiastraat 63A 3000 Leuven 016/310 100 Heldenlaan 69 1970 Wezembeek-Oppem 02/785 03 45

Source: http://www.mchinfo.be/documenten/en/coloscopieE2010.pdf