Synonym
Examination preparation, colonoscopy, colonoscopy English: preparation for colonoscopy
Definition
A colonoscopy is a diagnostic procedure in which the inside of the colon can be inspected with a flexible endoscope. In order to prepare for a colonoscopy, the intestine must first be cleaned. To do this, the patient must take a laxative medication The instrument used to perform a colonoscopy is called a coloscope.
It belongs to the group of endoscopes. A colonoscope is therefore an endoscope specially designed for examining the bowel. This colonoscope consists of a partially flexible tube with a camera attached to the tip.
It consists of flexible glass fibres with a diameter of approx. 10 micrometres. A glass fibre strand is made up of about 40000 individual fibres.
One light and one colour point is transmitted per fibre. Thus, from the tip of the coloscope the images captured by the camera can be transmitted along the fibres and made visible on a monitor. In addition to flexible endoscopes, there are also rigid endoscopes, which are mainly used for examinations of the rectum, since only a short distance has to be covered.
However, if the entire colon is to be examined, a 1m -1.5 m long flexible endoscope is required. . In addition to the camera attached to the tip, there is also a cavity along the tube through which a wire can be passed with a small clamp at the tip.
Through the clamp, tissue samples of the intestine can be taken during a colonoscopy. The clamp can be controlled from the outside during the examination. In addition, there is a very bright light at the tip of the colonoscope, which is intended to ensure a suitable view for the examiner during the diagnosis. Furthermore, air can be introduced into the intestine via a colonoscope and liquid can be sucked out again.
Food
In order to perform a colonoscopy, the patient’s bowel must be completely emptied and cleaned. If there is still food leftovers in the intestine, the examining doctor cannot assess the conditions in the intestine well, because these get into the field of vision of the camera or the view of the mucosa is only limited. For this reason, it is very important that the patient observes some dietary rules a few days before his colonoscopy, so that the patient can come to the examination with a cleaned bowel.
It is important in advance of a colonoscopy to remember to follow the dietary rules for preparation four to five days before the examination. If it is started later, there is not enough time to empty and clean the bowel. If a person takes in food, it takes a long way through the digestive tract until the indigestible remains are excreted.
After staying in the stomach, the food has to pass through the four to six metres long small intestine to reach the large intestine, which measures another 1.5 metres. This takes between two and five days and depends on how well digestible the food is and how hard the intestine works. Five days before the examination:As early as five days before the examination, no more fruit and vegetables with small seeds may be eaten.
These include tomatoes, cucumbers, kiwis and grapes. Furthermore, foods rich in fibre such as wholemeal products and swelling agents (e.g. wheat bran) should be removed from the diet. Two days before the examination:Two days before the examination, dairy products and flatulent foods such as legumes or cabbage should now also be omitted.
All fruit and vegetables should also be avoided, but instead light, not hard to digest foods such as white flour products, rice or poultry. One day before the examination:On the day before the examination, only a light breakfast should be eaten, at noon it is still possible to eat broth without a filling. For the rest of the day, no more food may be eaten, but drinking juice spritzers, water and the like is permitted.
Drinks such as black tea or coffee are not recommended, as they can stain the intestinal mucosa. This can lead to the fact that the intestinal mucosa cannot be assessed well during a colonoscopy. The day before the examination, you must also start taking the laxative, the schedule of which depends on the product in question.
The consumption of chocolate should also be avoided on the day before the colonoscopy. The chocolate can discolour the intestinal wall and falsify results. Up to two days before, however, it is harmless in small amounts, as it is a low-fibre food.
Bananas are low-fibre fruit that do not contain any seeds. Up to three days before the colonoscopy, consumption is harmless. After that the diet should be replaced by light, low-fat food.
