What is a colonoscope?
A colonoscope is a long, flexible tube with a camera on the end that is designed to visually examine the lining of the colon and rectum. It has a port for infusing gas to distend the colon to enable the doctor to see, and another port for placement of instruments to take biopsies or remove polyps. Why do people need a colonoscopy? Quite simply, to save lives. Colon and rectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer and the second leading cause of cancer deaths in this country. The only way we can effectively treat colorectal cancer is by catching it early or, even better, by preventing it entirely. How can colon and rectal cancer be prevented? We believe that most, if not all, cancers of the colon and rectum arise from precancerous lesions called polyps. Not all, but a significant number of polyps can and do become cancerous. By screening the colon and rectum for polyps, and removing them before they become malignant, we believe that we are saving patients from big operations and t
