Colonoscopy Health Article

Health care team roles

For otherwise healthy patients, colonoscopy is generally performed by a gastroenterologist in an office setting. It may also be performed in the endoscopy department of a hospital, where patients with other medical conditions requiring hospitalization, more intensive physiologic monitoring, or general anesthesia can be better examined. Depending on the patient's condition, the colonoscopy may also be performed by a colorectal surgeon. In the gastroenterologist's office, a nurse and/or nurse anesthetist are necessary to provide patient sedation and analgesic medication, monitor the patient during the procedure, and assist the physician during the colonoscopy. In the hospital, colonoscopy performed under general anesthesia requires an anesthesiologist. Biopsied tissue samples are sent to a clinical laboratory, where they are analyzed by a pathologist.

KEY TERMS

Barium enema—An x-ray test of the bowel after giving the patient an enema of a white chalky sub- stance that outlines the colon and the rectum.

Biopsy—Removal of a tissue sample for examination under the microscope to check for cancer cells.

Colonoscope—A thin, flexible, hollow, lighted tube that is inserted through the anus and into the rectum and into the colon to enable the doctor to view the entire lining of the colon.

Crohn's disease—A chronic inflammatory disease that generally starts in the gastrointestinal tract and causes the immune system to attack one's own body.

Diverticulosis—A condition that involves the development of sacs that bulge through the large intestine's muscular walls but are not inflamed. It may cause bleeding, stomach distress, and excess gas.

Electrosurgical device—A medical device that uses electrical current to cauterize or coagulate tissue during surgical procedures. Often used in conjunction with laparoscopy.

Pathologist—A doctor who specializes in the diagnosis of disease by studying cells and tissues under a microscope.

Polyps—An abnormal growth that develops on the inside of a hollow organ such as the colon.

Ulcerative colitis—A chronic condition where recurrent ulcers are found in the colon. It is manifested clinically by abdominal cramping and rectal bleeding.

BOOKS

Beers, Mark H. and Berkow, Robert, eds. Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy 17th edition. Merck Research Laboratories, 1999.

Segen, Joseph C. and Joseph Stauffer. The Patient's Guide to Medical Tests. Facts On File, 1998.

PERIODICALS

Lieberman, David A., Weiss, David G., Bond, John H., Ahnen, Dennis J., Garewal, Harinder, Chejfec, Gregorio. "Use of Colonoscopy to Screen Asymptomatic Adults for Colorectal Cancer." New England Journal of Medicine. 343, no. 3 (July 20, 2000): 162-168.

ORGANIZATIONS

Colorectal Cancer Network (CCNetwork). PO Box 182, Kensington, MD 20895-0182. (301)879-1500. <http://www.colorectalcancer.net>.

National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. 2 Information Way, Bethesda, MD 20892-3570. <http://www.niddk.nih.gov>.

Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons(SAGES). 2716 Ocean Park Boulevard, Suite 3000, Santa Monica, CA 90405. (310) 314-2404. <http://www.sages.org>.

Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates Inc. 401 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611-4267. (800) 245-7462. <http://www.sgna.org>.

OTHER

Glaser, Vicki. "Colorectal Cancer Screening: New Directions, Evolving Guidelines." Patient Care. (February 28, 2001). <http://consumer.pdr.net/consumer>.

Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons. "Colonoscopy." <http://www.sages.org/pi_colonoscopy.html>.

Jennifer E. Sisk, M.A.