Proctology Institute

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On the Benefits of Colonoscopy

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A recent New York Times article reported the untimely death of Cornell University’s first female president due to colon cancer. The essay is not so much a eulogy as an exhortation to make colon cancer screening far more common and accessible than it is today:

I do know that colon cancer can nearly always be prevented through detection and removal of its precursor lesions, commonly called adenomas or adenomatous polyps. I also know that it can most often be cured if one of several screening tests leads to early detection, before the cancer has spread beyond its point of origin.

The piece describes colonoscopy as “the gold standard for detecting cancer and removing precancerous polyps,” and encourages more people to get screened, at younger ages, than most people currently do. Although the screening age is 50 years old for generally healthy patients without a family history of colon cancer and 45 years old for african american patients, adenomatous polyps have been observed and removed in younger patients as well that have been symptomatic or asymptomatic.

But of course colonoscopy is more than just a screening procedure; your physician may also remove polyps found during the procedure at the same time. This is, in other words, one of the few preventive diagnostic measures which may also include treatment in the bargain, markedly improving patient prognosis.

If you are due to get a colonoscopy in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, Newport Beach, or Huntington Beach, call the experts at the Proctology Institute, or click here to set up an appointment today.

 

What’s a Colonoscopy Like?

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The colonoscopy is widely considered one of the most dreaded procedures in medicine. In some ways, the reputation is warranted: nobody wants to spend 30-60 minutes curled up on their side while a medical device explores their lower intestine.

Yet colonoscopies also save lives, and are increasingly considered an essential preventive tool for cancer screening. As one physician at the Cleveland Clinic said:

“If you have your colonoscopy and have the polyps removed, your likelihood of developing colorectal cancer is substantially reduced.”

The experience of undergoing a colonoscopy has been improved in recent years, and the preparation isn’t nearly as arduous as you may have heard. Low volume preparations have entered the market, making the prep somewhat easier. More recent colonoscopy recipients report important changes in the process:

Arian can attest to the change for the better. “The prep has gotten much better in the 14 years I’ve been having these,” he says. “The taste is much better. It’s no longer incredibly salty and vile, or hard to finish. It tastes more like water.”

On the day of your procedure, you can expect some minor discomfort without serious pain due to the air that is used during the procedure to inflate the colon to allow for the colonoscope to pass. At the end of your procedure, your doctor should be able to provide you with rapid answers about your prognosis and followup care. If polyps are discovered, your proctologist will remove them at the time of your procedure.  The polyps will then be sent to pathology for a final diagnosis.

To schedule your own colonoscopy with the best proctologist in Los Angeles, please don’t hesitate to contact the LA and OC Proctology Institute today.

So Which Is It: Butt Doctor, Butt Pain Doctor? Or Just Proctologist?

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Many doctors that choose to become a proctologist or a proctologic surgeon have a great sense of humor because early on in their training, they learn that a great sense of humor in this specialty is essential to make their patients feel comfortable during conversations about their most uncomfortable problems.

Although a famous Seinfeld episode featured a risqué license plate to poke fun at our field, the fact remains that many people don’t quite know how to describe proctologic problems in mixed company — or where to search for good answers. Phrases like “butt pain” are as heavily trafficked as “rectal pain,” which is why those of us who live and work in the (ahem) trenches have to be ready for all manner of colorful descriptions.

So what is a proctologist? A proctologist is a surgeon that has completed a residency focused entirely on Proctology (Proctologic Surgery). Proctologists are specialized surgeons with expertise in treating a wide range of anal and rectal problems including diseases of the lower gastrointestinal (GI) tract, both surgically and non-surgically. Proctologic surgeons are also highly trained in performing a procedure called a colonoscopy to evaluate the colon (large intestine) as well as the last portion of the small intestine called the ileum.

Proctologists are not colorectal surgeons or gastroenterologists. Colorectal surgeons spend five years training in general surgery first with a one-year fellowship in colon and rectal surgery. Gastroenterologists spend three years training in internal medicine followed by a three-year fellowship in gastroenterology. Gastroenterologists perform endoscopies of both the upper and lower gastrointestinal tract, however, gastroenterologists are not surgeons and do not perform surgeries such as hemorrhoidectomy for hemorrhoids, sphincterotomy for anal fissures, excision of anal skin tags, fistulectomy for anal fistulas, etc. Only proctologists are trained to diagnose and treat these conditions of the lower gastrointestinal (GI) tract both surgically and non-surgically.

If you have anal or rectal pain, don’t procrastinate. Contact the Los Angeles and Orange County Proctology Institute and make an appointment to be seen in one of our locations in Beverly Hills, Newport Beach or Huntington Beach today.