When it comes to choosing the right doctor for your colonoscopy you want to ensure it is someone that you trust. As a colonoscopy is a fairly invasive procedure it can be pretty nerve-wracking if you have any doubt regarding the doctor you have chosen. This is why we are here to help you in figuring out which doctor is best suited to perform a colonoscopy and how you can find them.
What Type of Doctor is Best for a Colonoscopy?
Ideally, the doctor you want to perform your colonoscopy should be a gastroenterologist. This is basically a doctor that has been specifically trained in gastrointestinal diseases and will have more than likely received training in performing a colonoscopy. Your general doctor can typically refer you for colonoscopies but typically the actual surgery will be left to a gastroenterologist.
There are a host of different clinics and medical practices around the country that will happily perform your Colonoscopy for you but try to ensure it is somewhere you trust. According to OneWelbeck who specializes in digestive surgery, you should find someone who is familiar with colonoscopies and other digestive surgeries so you know you can trust them.
What Questions Should I ask my Doctor Before my Colonoscopy?
To ensure you are both comfortable and confident going ahead with a colonoscopy, it is a great idea to ask your doctor a few questions beforehand. This will ensure that any issues are ironed out early and that you have a clear understanding of what the process entails before you enter the surgery room. Read on to find a few common questions you should ask your doctor so you can make sure you can relax before your surgery.
How important is it that I have a Colonoscopy?
This is a great question to ask if you are at all unsure why exactly you need to have a colonoscopy. As medical technology has vastly improved and doctors can now sense a range of different afflictions and altercations through DNA testing, why is a colonoscopy so important?
Your doctor will be able to give you a real answer to this as we are not trained medical professionals, but typically a colonoscopy is an incredibly effective way to spot any digestive related afflictions. Whilst stool tests can now spot a host of different illnesses and potential problems, they just simply lack the accuracy of a colonoscopy. Be sure to speak to your doctor or a health professional more about this topic as we would like to again state we have not trained health professionals.
What is the best way to prepare for a Colonoscopy?
Some people may find the idea behind colonoscopy preparation to be nightmare-inducing, but it really isn’t as bad as all that. Typically, your doctor will simply prescribe you over-the-counter laxatives that will help you clear your bowels before an operation. You may also opt for an enema or similar procedure for colonoscopy preparation.
Each doctor has their own preferred method when it comes to preparing a patient for a colonoscopy operation. This is why it’s a great idea to ask your doctor before going ahead with any operation. Ensuring that you are aware of what prep is needed and how you can best ready yourself is a great way to smooth things over with your chosen doctor.
How long will my Colonoscopy take?
Again, this is another ideal question to ask your chosen gastroenterologist. Each patient can expect to take a different length of time for the surgery to finish once they are in the operating room. As each patients’ issues are different, so too will the operation adapt to suit them.
Doctors also have slightly different ways in which they will perform a Colonoscopy. They will all be trained in a very similar way, but as they are looking for different things, certain sections may be different. As we are not trained health professionals it is hard to say exactly how long your operation will take, which is why it is best to ask your doctor. Typically, however, including the preparation and the operation itself you should expect to spend anywhere between 3 and 4 hours in the hospital.
How can I see how Effective a Specific Doctor is Whilst Performing Colonoscopies?
Thankfully, there is in fact a measurement you can use to track exactly how your doctor will perform once the operation is underway. Doctors who commonly perform colonoscopies will be measured by something known as Polyp Detection Rates. But what exactly is a polyp?
A polyp is a tissue growth that can be found growing from a surface, typically within the body. They most commonly take the form of mucous membranes and are usually found within the colon or the rectum.
Most colonoscopies will be used to find polyps within the colon or rectum as they can lead to other problems if left alone for a long time. Gastroenterologists will use Polyp Detection Rates to show how effective they are at finding polyps within the body. As polyps can be extremely difficult to spot if you are not fully trained, detection rates are vital to deducing a trained doctors’ skills.
Research has shown that a higher quality colonoscopy, performed by doctors with higher Polyp Detection Rates tend to save the most lives. In fact, you may be at a 50-60% lower risk for extreme afflictions such as colon cancer once you have undergone a high-quality colonoscopy. But again, please do take this with a pinch of salt as we are not trained in either colonoscopies or gastrointestinal diseases, the folk at one welbeck are who you are looking for.
Colonoscopies can and have saved countless lives over the many years they have been around. If you have any doubts either with your chosen doctor or the operation itself, then please do approach a healthcare professional with any questions. Stay safe and make sure you are comfortable before your surgery goes ahead so you can get the most out of it!
