Colonoscopy how long it takes

A colonoscopy procedure typically takes minutes, depending on whether the doctor needs to remove polyps or take biopsies. However, patients and caregivers should plan to spend hours total at the hospital or endoscopy center to account for the time needed for preparation and recovery. During colonoscopy preparation and recovery, caregivers either wait in a waiting room or give their number to the office staff to receive a call when it is time to pick up the patient.

Patients will need the remainder of the day to rest and recover at home; those who work should plan to take the day off. About minutes prior to the colonoscopy, the patient changes into a gown, and a nurse will get an IV started. The doctor or a nurse will go over what will happen during the procedure and any risks associated with it. Then, the patient is usually administered light sedation via pill or IV. Due to the sedation, it is unlikely the patient will remember the colonoscopy itself.

What happens on the day - Colonoscopy Contents What is a colonoscopy? Why it's done Getting ready What happens on the day Results.

You should also bring any medicines you take with you. When you arrive You'll speak with a nurse about what's going to happen. You may be offered things to make you more comfortable and make the test easier, such as: painkillers sedation — medicine given through a small tube in your arm to help you relax gas and air — you breathe this in to help you relax Not all hospitals offer all these things — ask about what you can have.

Important You cannot drive for 24 hours if you have sedation. What happens during a colonoscopy and how you'll feel during each stage What happens What it might feel like A thin, flexible tube with a small camera inside goes into your bottom You may feel the camera go in, but it should not hurt Air is pumped in to open up your bowels You may feel a bit bloated or like you need the toilet The tube goes through all of your large bowel You may have some stomach cramps Any growths polyps in your bowels will be removed or a sample of cells taken You will not feel anything if this happens.

Show references Fowler GC, et al. Elsevier; Accessed April 8, Lee L, et al. Overview of colonoscopy in adults. Accessed Feb. Colorectal polyp surveillance adult. Rochester, Minn. Screening recommendations adult. Picco MF expert opinion. Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Fla. March 15, CDT Colorectal cancer cases rising in younger adults, screenings are down March 16, , p. CDT Updated screening guidelines for colorectal cancer Oct. CDT 5 things you can do to keep your colon healthy Aug. Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.

Learn more about this top honor. The colonoscopist carefully checks for abnormalities while slowly removing the scope. If any polyps are found during the procedure, they can usually be removed during the procedure using specialised tools that run inside the colonoscope. If a polyp or tumour is too big to be safely removed through the colonoscope, the colonoscopist will take a sample of the tissue and send it for testing to determine the nature of the lesion.

If other abnormalities are found in the bowel, or the colonoscopy is being done to determine the cause of symptoms, biopsies will be performed. Your colonoscopist will discuss the biopsy results with you once a report has been received from the pathologist, which is usually within a week. At that meeting, it is important to find out the number, size, and pathology of any polyps detected and when you should schedule your next colonoscopy.

Potential risks of colonoscopy can include:. Tips to reduce risks related to colonoscopy and bowel preparation:. Share your colonoscopy experience. Bowel Cancer. Back What is bowel cancer? Liver metastases Lung metastases Peritoneal metastases What is anal cancer?

Early Detection. Back Bowel care nurses Bowel care nutritionists Peer-to-peer support network Patient resources Bowel cancer stories Bowelcancer. Get Involved. About us. A Quality Colonoscopy. What is a colonoscopy?

Who performs the colonoscopy? Risks Recovery My Colonoscopy Experience. A colonoscopy is a quick and generally painless procedure that allows for the full examination of the entire inner lining of your bowel colon and rectum. During the procedure, the colonoscopist spends most of the time looking for changes to the normal landscape of your bowel lining and removes anything that looks suspicious, like growths called polyps.

Polyps are usually harmless benign ; they can be slightly raised sessile , look like they are on a stalk like a cherry pedunculated , or can be very flat. Adenomatous polyps however, can become cancerous malignant , and if left undetected can develop into a cancerous tumour. Polyps can be detected and removed before they develop into bowel cancer during a colonoscopy, and bowel cancer, if present, can be diagnosed. The colonoscopy usually lasts around 30 minutes or less and is typically performed while you are under a general anaesthetic.

Because of the sedation, you should arrange for someone to collect you and take you home following the procedure. While the risk of complication is relatively small, a large number of people undergo colonoscopy, many of whom are not diagnosed with any disease. Why do I need a colonoscopy?