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Four pills, not harsh laxative being substituted for colonoscopy tests at Phoenix clinic
By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
August 27th, 2012
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)
August 27th, 2012
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)
It's a most unpleasant experience for men over 50 years of age; when
going into their first colonoscopy, the patient must only eat broth and
take harsh laxatives in order to clean out the intestines prior to the
procedure. Now, a Mayo Clinic in Phoenix now requires patients to take
just four pills instead of the usual two or more liters of laxatives.
Colonoscopies, in which a tiny camera is inserted into the body to examine the bowels, and virtual colonoscopies, in which a CT scan is used to provide three-dimensional imaging of the colon and rectum, are commonly performed for early detection of colon cancer.
It appears that one of the most unpleasant parts of the process has been eliminated, Dr. C. Daniel Johnson says, chair of the department of radiology at Mayo Clinic in Arizona.
"Our hope is that this will make people less anxious and more likely to get screened and will ultimately result in fewer deaths from colorectal cancer," Johnson said in a press release.
The development of the new protocol was based on a study co-by Dr. Johnson and published in Abdominal Imaging journal last year. The study has found that the new four-tablet procedure worked as well as the standard liquid laxative for virtual colonoscopies. The new protocol is not intended for standard colonoscopies because the cleansing requirements between the two procedures differ.
Virtual colonoscopy was found to be highly accurate for detection of intermediate and large polyps. Because the majority of patients will not have a polyp, no further workup is necessary. Only the 12 percent of patients identified with a polyp during a colonography would then need to have a colonoscopy. Because most colon cancer arises from preexisting polyps, detection and removal of these lesions can help eradicate it.
Dr. Johnson says that how people get screened should be an individual decision, based on discussions with their medical providers.
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