This procedure removes abnormal growths, called "polyps", from the inner wall of your large intestine. The procedure usually lasts from 30 minutes to an hour.
In preparation, you are given medicine to relax you and to minimize discomfort. You lie on your side. The physician inserts a colonoscope into your rectum. This is an instrument with a small camera attached to a soft, flexible tube. It is slowly guided into your colon. Air may be pumped through the colonoscope to inflate your colon.
The lining of your colon is carefully examined. Your polyps may be removed with a snare. This is placed into your colon through a channel in the colonoscope. Polyps can also be removed with a laser device. This tissue will later be examined for signs of cancerous cells. Most polyps are benign, but over time, some can develop cancer.
When the procedure is complete, you are observed for a brief time while the medicine wears off. Some cramping, bloating, or gas is normal. Most people are fully recovered and back to a normal diet by the next day.