Expert Videos

A colonoscopy is a medical procedure that allows doctors to look inside the inner lining of the colon and rectum in order to evaluate colon health and look for colon cancer. A colonoscopy helps find problems such as ulcers, inflammation, bleeding, polyps and tumors. The experts explain that colonoscopy is used as an early cancer screening tool in patients who have no symptoms, and in patients who already have symptoms it is used to evaluate and diagnose what the problem might be. Colonoscopy is also used in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease) and in patients who have unexplained symptoms such as blood in their stool, to make sure there is no cancer, mucosal disease, polyp, or even tumor.

Expert gastroenterologists Drs. Andres Gelrud and Juan Echavarria explain the important role that colonoscopy plays in significantly decreasing the incidence of colorectal cancer. Colonoscopy is a preventative measure for finding and removing polyps that over time can potentially become cancer. A colonoscopy can also find cancer early, when treatment is most effective and your doctor has a better chance of curing the disease. Precancerous polyps and early colorectal cancer don’t always cause symptoms, especially at first. This means that someone could have polyps or colorectal cancer and not even know it. That is why having a colonoscopy is so important.

In this video, Dr. Gelrud and Dr. Echavarria talk about how a colonoscopy is a generally safe procedure and complications are rare. There can be a very small risk of bleeding, puncture in the bowel wall, infection, and drug reactions - but these are very rare. You should always discuss any questions or concerns you have about your colonoscopy, results, and post-procedure with your doctor. Your doctor is there to help you through the process and answer any questions you may have.

The colon plays an important role in the digestive system. In this video, gastroenterologists Drs. Echavarria and Gelrud explain some of the colon’s important functions - such as the absorption of water from undigested food to produce stool (feces), the accumulation and delivery of stool to the rectum prior to a bowel movement, and the absorption of certain nutrients that are important for the maintenance of good health. Additionally, the experts discuss how a colonoscopy procedure is helpful in cases where the colon is diseased, inflamed, or infected, and to screen for colon cancer.

In this video, Dr. Echavarria and Dr. Gelrud explain who should get a colonoscopy, and when. Routine screening colonoscopy should begin at age 50 in men and women who have normal risk for colon cancer and no symptoms. Colonoscopy should be started earlier if you have symptoms or family history of colon cancer, precancerous polyps, or inflammatory bowel disease. Colonoscopy is also used for other diseases that affect the overall health of the bowel, such as inflammatory bowel disease, diverticulitis, and ulcers. Talk to your doctor about the appropriate time for you to have a colonoscopy. Be sure to discuss any symptoms, family history of colon cancer, or other bowel diseases with your doctor. With this information your doctor can determine if you need to get a colonoscopy earlier, more frequently, or if there are any genetic predispositions that put you at higher risk.

Colonoscopy bowel prep is a two-step process that involves dietary restrictions and taking a bowel prep medication. In this video, Dr. Echavarria and Dr. Gelrud discuss the dietary restrictions that are required before a colonoscopy. Three days before your colonoscopy, you will need to begin a low residue diet of foods that are very low in fiber and easy to digest (e.g., white bread, rice and pasta, plain crackers, canned fruit, lean meats without skin, and eggs). Do not eat seeds, green vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, kale, cabbage, and do not have dairy, or certain juices like prune juice. One day before - and the day of - your colonoscopy you will need to limit your diet to clear liquids only (e.g. clear broth, black tea or coffee, clear, light-colored juices, clear soft-drinks, clear sports drinks, plain gelatin without fruit, pulp-free juice bars, and water). Do not drink alcohol, liquids you can’t see through, dairy products, or red or purple liquids (these colors may be confused for blood during the colonoscopy). On the day of your colonoscopy, do not drink anything two hours before your procedure.

Before your colonoscopy procedure, you will need to cleanse your bowel completely. This is called bowel preparation (or bowel prep), and it is the most important requirement for a successful colonoscopy. As Dr. Gelrud and Dr. Echavarria explain, a good bowel prep done by you will allow a good colonoscopy examination to be performed by your doctor. A well-cleaned colon lets your doctor see clearly inside your colon for polyps or other abnormalities. A poorly cleaned colon will obscure your doctor's view, making it easy to lose and miss polyps or abnormalities that can over time become cancer. The bowel prep process includes dietary restrictions and taking a bowel prep medication. Dietary changes play an important role because certain foods, like vegetables, can be seen in the colon during a colonoscopy. Dietary changes include a low residue diet (low fiber) a few days before your colonoscopy, and a clear liquid diet the day before and the day of your colonoscopy. Before your colonoscopy procedure, your doctor will give you the exact diet and bowel prep instructions you need to follow. Make sure you fully read the instructions ahead of time and that you plan accordingly.

Before you go for your colonoscopy, you will need to drink a bowel preparation medication (often called bowel prep) to clean out your colon. Bowel preps are prescription and over the counter medications that cause diarrhea for several hours, in order to flush the stool out of your colon and leave it clean so that your doctor can optimally examine the lining of your colon. Bowel prep medications require that you drink large volumes of clear liquid and stay well hydrated during the process. There are several types of bowel prep medication, so talk to your doctor about which one is right for you. It is very important to tell your doctor if you have heart disease, diabetes, or a kidney condition because each of these will affect the kind of bowel prep that you need. Some tips to help make drinking bowel prep easier include: chill your medication in the refrigerator beforehand, drink your medication through a straw, add flavor to help it taste better, and very importantly, plan ahead. Plan to stay home during your bowel prep, and stay near a bathroom for a few hours until the effects of your prep medication have worn off. It is very important to drink lots of water or clear liquids before and after your colonoscopy. However, do not drink anything up to 2 to 4 hours before your procedure, depending on the instructions your doctor provides. Before that, you can drink as much water or clear liquid as you wish. A successful colonoscopy cannot be done without a complete and thorough bowel cleansing, so be sure to follow the exact instructions that your doctor gives you.

Your doctor will give you the exact diet and bowel prep instructions you need to follow before your colonoscopy procedure. As Dr. Gelrud and Dr. Echavarria explain in this video, it is critically important to follow the bowel prep instructions precisely, so that you achieve a completely cleaned-out colon for a successful colonoscopy. Make sure you fully read the instructions from your doctor ahead of time and that you plan accordingly. The goal of bowel prep is to have a completely clean colon so that your doctor can easily find and remove polyps or other abnormalities. If your bowel prep is not done properly, your doctor may not be able to clearly see inside your colon. As a result, polyps or other abnormalities may be missed, your colonoscopy may take longer than usual, or it is likely that you will have to repeat the whole procedure again. To avoid these scenarios, follow the exact bowel prep instructions for your colonoscopy procedure.

It is very important that you talk with your doctor about any medical conditions you have, before you schedule your colonoscopy. In this video, Dr. Echavarria and Dr. Gelrud discuss some questions you might be asked by your doctor about your medical history, previous medical conditions (such as lung or heart disease), and if you have a history of taking certain kinds of medication, such as narcotics or medications for pain. Your doctor may ask if you are taking antidepressants because these can impact how you are sedated. You may also be asked if you have had any trouble with sedation in the past. Finally, you will be asked if you have had any previous surgeries - especially if you are a woman - because this can make the procedure more difficult.

In this video, Dr. Gelrud and Dr. Echavarria explain which medications should be continued, which ones should be adjusted in dosage, and which ones should be stopped before your colonoscopy. Be sure to tell your doctor well ahead of your colonoscopy about any regularly prescribed medications you are taking and any health conditions or allergies, as this information needs to be shared when you are booking your procedure. It is very important that you talk about this early and not the day before or the day of your procedure. Some medications may need to be adjusted prior to your colonoscopy, such as insulin, heart medications, or blood thinners. For your individual case, you should ask your doctor if you should continue with, adjust, or stop these medications.