During a colonoscopy, the doctor will be able to look at the inside of your entire large intestine (your colon). This includes the cecum (which is attached to the small intestine and is the beginning of the large intestine), the ascending colon, the transverse colon, the descending colon, the sigmoid colon, and the rectum.
Illustration copyright 2003 Nucleus Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. http://www.nucleusinc.com
You will be given medicine through a needle in your vein. This is called an intravenous (IV) line. The medicine will make you sleepy. You will lie on your left side with your knees pulled up to your belly. The doctor will gently put a gloved finger into your anus to make sure there is no blockage. Then he or she will gently put the thin, flexible colonoscope (scope) in your anus and move it slowly through your colon.
Illustration copyright 2003 Nucleus Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. http://www.nucleusinc.com
The doctor can look at the inside lining of your colon through the scope or on a computer screen hooked up to the scope. The doctor will look at the whole length of your colon as the scope is gently moved in and then out of your colon.
Jerome B. Simon, MD, FRCPC, FACP - Gastroenterology
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