Anaesthesia for a colonoscopy | The different types of anaesthesia

Anaesthesia for a colonoscopy

Colonoscopy is performed to examine the bowel in case of suspicion of various diseases. An endoscope is used for this purpose, which transmits images from the intestine to a screen. Depending on the type, duration and complexity of the procedure, different methods can be used to make the examination as comfortable as possible for the patient.

The patient’s anxiety, resilience and health condition also play an important role. It is important for the examination that the patient is relaxed and does not feel any pain. Since everyone perceives pain differently, the colonoscopy can be performed under a light anaesthetic.

There is also the possibility of administering a sedative, which can also relieve the patient’s fear of the procedure. With a light sedation, the patient falls asleep and does not notice much of the examination. In contrast to general anesthesia, artificial respiration is not necessary because the patient breathes independently.