colonoscopy/gastroscopy colorectal surgeon

Colonoscopy is a daycase procedure to examines large bowel for changes or abnormalities such as polyps and bowel cancer. 

Colonoscopy is an internal examination of large intestine including rectum and colon. It is performed  using a flexible instrument called colonoscope. Procedure is done as a day case with or without sedation and rarely under General Anaesthesia. 

A colonoscopy can detect and keep under surveillance bowel conditions including bowel cancer, polyps, crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis and diverticular disease. It allows biopsies and polyps can be removed and sent for testing. 

Colonoscopy is used for surveillance for any changes in the bowel or patients with a family history of polyps or bowel cancer.

You may be advised by your GP/Consultant to have a colonoscopy to investigate  if you have one or more of the following symptoms:

bleeding from rectum

blood or mucus in stools

unexplained abdominal pain

changes in  bowel habits such as constipation or diarrhoea

loss of weight 

anaemia

feeling really tired for no reason

faecal occult blood positive test 

previous polyps or bowel cancer

screening for bowel cancer

abnormality on CT scan

Flexible sigmoidoscopy is a daycase procedure to examines distal part large bowel for changes or abnormalities such as polyps and bowel cancer. 

Flexible sigmoidoscopy is an internal examination of distal large intestine including rectum, sigmoid and descending colon. It is performed  using a flexible instrument called colonoscope. Procedure is done as a day case with or without sedation and rarely under General Anaesthesia. 

Flexible sigmoidoscopy is used to investigate symptoms or for surveillance of bowel conditions including bowel cancer, polyps, crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis and diverticular disease. It allows biopsies and polyps can be removed and sent for testing. 

You may be advised by your GP/Consultant to have a colonoscopy to investigate symptoms like:

bleeding from rectum

blood or mucus in stools

unexplained abdominal pain (left side)

changes in  bowel habits such as constipation or diarrhoea

loss of weight 

anaemia

feeling really tired for no reason

faecal occult blood positive test 

previous polyps or bowel cancer

screening for bowel cancer

abnormality on CT scan

Rubber band ligation or injection of piles may be performed for symptomatic haemorrhoids at the end of colonoscopy or flexible sigmoidoscopy if appropriate. 

It blocks the blood flow to haemorrhoids causing them to shrink and slough off in few days. 

A gastroscopy is examination of the oesophagus, stomach and first part of small intestine (duodenum), using a flexible instrument called gastroscope.   The procedure is done as a daycase with or without sedation and rarely under General Anaesthesia.

Patients often have a gastroscopy examination to investigate symptoms or surviellance of previous abnormalities like Barrett's oesophagus. 

You may be advised by your GP/Consultant to have a gastroscopy to investigate symptoms: 

heartburn

reflux

epigastric pain 

early staity

weight loss

anemia

melena (black stools)

check healing of gastric/duodenal ulcers

abnomality on CT scan 

family history of upper gastrointestinal cancer

surviellance of Barrett's oesophagus

Should you wish to discuss the procedures further or you wish to book a consultation, please contact either by telephone 01372 840858 or via the contact link below.