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Colon Polyp Surgery
Colon polyp removal or polypectomy
You are having a colonoscopy and it may involve colon polyp surgery. This quick and easy outpatient procedure requires some preparation beforehand. This includes taking a laxative to empty your colon or large intestine. At the outpatient facility, your doctor prepares your colon for the procedure, including preparation for possible colon polyp surgery. He or she then views the inside of your colon using a colonoscope.
A colonoscope is a small camera on a flexible tube that is inserted into the colon through the rectum. Your doctor looks at the 5 to 6 foot length of your colon to find out whether or not its lining is normal and healthy. The colonoscopy procedure takes about 15 minutes, and is usually performed by one doctor with an assistant.
What will your doctor do if he/she finds colon polyps? In most cases, your doctor will remove the colon polyps during the colonoscopy. In this procedure, known as a polypectomy or colon polyp surgery, your doctor cuts the polyps from the colon inner wall. This is good preventive medicine and can save your life.
What is a Colon Polyp?
Are you wondering what exactly a colon polyp is? A colon polyp is a mass of flesh attached to the inner wall of the colon by a small stalk of tissue called a pedicle. The polyp can be:
- Harmless (benign),
- Pre-cancerous, or
- Cancerous
The polyp can be the size of a pea or larger. In extreme cases, the polyp might block or partially block the colon.
Removal of Polyps
Your doctor removes small polyps using a cutting attachment in the colonoscope. Larger polyps are removed with a wire loop. In this case, your doctor cauterizes (precisely burns) the removal site on the colon inner wall to prevent bleeding. This procedure is quick and easy. The doctor will send the removed polyps to a medical laboratory to find out whether or not the polyps are cancerous, pre-cancerous, or harmless (benign).
Will the removal of polyps hurt? No. The good news is that there are no pain-sensing nerves inside your colon. The only discomfort associated with colon polyp removal is the minor discomfort of the colonoscopy procedure itself. Also, you will take a sedative just before the surgery to manage the discomfort.
Complications
Are complications possible during a polypectomy? The two main complications are bleeding and colon perforation. These complications are rare, and bleeding can be easily stopped with cauterization. A perforated colon requires surgery to repair it. Again, these complications are rare and have direct remedies that your doctor is prepared to handle.
There you go. Your colon polyp surgery is done. Since you will have had a sedative, make sure you have a designated driver to take you home after surgery.
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