colonoscopy risks and colonoscopy side effects
colonoscopy risks
and colonoscopy side effects should always be considered, particularly when dealing with symptoms of ibs or the irritable bowel syndrome, as the test should be normal.
They can be split into two areas:
Bowel preparation risks
Common complications
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Electrolyte disturbance (salt imbalance)
Rare complications
- Collapse with loss of consciousness(syncope)
- perforation (putting a hole in the bowel)particularly in colon polyp removal
Procedure risks
Procedure risks or complications are fortunately rare, bit when they do occur they can be serious:
colonoscopy sedation risks
- Respiratory arrest (stopping breathing)
- Anaphylaxis (allergic reaction)
- Hypotension (low blood pressure)
- drowsiness
- Unsteadiness and falls
- Amnesia (forgeting)
Procedure risk.
- Haemorrhage/Hemorrhage(colon bleeding)
- Perforation (hole in the bowel), particularly if biopsying the cecum
(1:2000)
The more common side effect is abdominal pain, usually similar to wind caused by the bowel being insufflated with air of carbon dioxide.
With excellent training these risks are reduced, but
colonoscopy risks
still occur, so the procedure should only be done if indicated in sufferers of ibs or the irritable bowel syndrome.
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