PROCEDURE INSTRUCTIONS:
AREAS EXAMINED & TREATED
- RIGHT COLON
- TRANSVERSE COLON
- LEFT COLON
- RECTUM
THE PROCEDURE
- COLONOSCOPY
- DIAGNOSTIC
- This is an internal examination of the entire length of the colon
- It is performed using an instrument called a colonoscope
- The colonoscope has a small camera attached to a flexible tube
- It may provide a visual diagnosis
- Biopsies may be taken
- DIAGNOSTIC
-
- THERAPEUTIC
- Various therapeutic maneuvers can be performed
- Benign or precancerous polyps may be removed
- THERAPEUTIC
BEFORE YOUR PROCEDURE
- SCHEDULE YOUR PROCEDURE [GASTRO DOXS]
- APPOINTMENT
- Schedule your procedure appointment with GastroDoxs by phone or in the office
- LOCATION
- A procedure location will be suggested based on your insurance & geographic area
- Please refer to the locations page on our website
- INSURANCE
- Our team will obtain the required insurance prior authorization, if needed
- FINANCIAL
- GastroDoxs provider fees will be collected upon scheduling your procedure
- ORDERS
- Our team will send your procedure orders to the surgery center
- TRANSPORTATION
- Do not plan to drive after your procedure
- You must have someone 18 years old or above to drive you home
- NO Uber | Lyft | Cab
- CHANGES
- To cancel or reschedule, call GastroDoxs @ 832-632-4070
- APPOINTMENT
- REGISTER [SURGERY CENTER]
- GENERAL
- A representative from the hospital or surgery center will call you to discuss the registration process, time & location of your procedure
- CLINICAL
- The pre-assessment testing team will discuss the following:
- Clearance if necessary
- Medical History
- Medications
- Pre-anesthesia questionnaire
- Surgical history
- The pre-assessment testing team will discuss the following:
- FINANCIAL
- Hospital, anesthesia & pathology fees are independent from GastroDoxs
- The other fees not related to GastroDoxs are to be discussed directly with the other providers, hospital or surgery center
- If you have not heard from the financial representative 24 hours before your procedure, call them at that time
- GENERAL
- CLEARANCE
- Cardiac | Pulmonary | Hematology | Neurology Clearance
- You may need a clearance if you
- Have high risk conditions requiring clearance
- Are on blood thinners or these medications
- Coumadin [Warfarin] | Pradaxa [Dabigatran] | Plavix [Clopidogrel] | Xarelto [Rivaroxaban] | Eliquis [Apixaban] | Brilinta [Ticagrelor] | Savaysa [Edoxaban] | Effient [Prasugrel]
- You may need a clearance if you
- You may need a follow up with your Doctor or Provider before they can issue a clearance
- Our team will send your Doctor or Provider a clearance request from our office
- Once our team has your clearance on file, we will call you to schedule your procedure
- Cardiac | Pulmonary | Hematology | Neurology Clearance
- MEDICATIONS
- 2 WEEKS BEFORE
- Hold > GLP-1 Agonist Medication: Ozempic | Mounjaro | Victoza | Trulicity | Wejovy, etc
- 1 WEEK BEFORE
- Hold > Anti-Diarrheal Medication: Imodium, Kaopectate [Pepto-Bismol]
- Hold > Iron Tablets
- Hold > Multivitamins
- 1 DAY BEFORE
- Hold > Oral Diabetes Medication
- Insulin > Take ½ the dose
- PROCEDURE DAY
- Blood Pressure Medication > as instructed by the pre-assessment team
- Insulin > Hold
- Others > Hold
- OTHER
- Continue to take your medications unless specified below
- Blood thinners will require a clearance on file before scheduling
- The pre-assessment team (PAT) will review your medications & may make other recommendations also
- 2 WEEKS BEFORE
- DIET INSTRUCTIONS
- 2 WEEKS BEFORE THE PROCEDURE
- FOODS
- No change
- LIQUIDS
- Drink plenty of water
- FOODS
- 1 WEEK BEFORE THE PROCEDURE
- FOODS
- No Nuts or Seeds [berries, cashews, corn nuts, peanuts, pecans, popcorn, walnuts]
- Low Fiber Diet
- Foods - white bread, cheese, eggs, yogurt
- Soups - clear vegetable, chicken or beef broth
- Vegetables - cooked without skin like mashed potato
- Fruits - pureed fruits without skin like applesauce
- LIQUIDS
- Drink plenty of water
- FOODS
- 1 DAY BEFORE THE PROCEDURE
- FOODS
- Clear Liquid Diet
- Soups - clear vegetable, chicken or beef broth
- Juices - clear only without pulp
- Stop - All food after 12 am [midnight]
- LIQUIDS
- Drink plenty of water
- No alcohol
- No red or purple colored drinks
- Stop - All liquids after 12am [midnight]
- FOODS
- PROCEDURE DAY
- NO - food or liquids on the procedure day
- Blood Pressure Medication > as instructed by the pre-assessment team
- Insulin > Hold
- Others > Hold
- 2 WEEKS BEFORE THE PROCEDURE
- BOWEL PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS
- All Preparations
- Clenpiq
- Colyte
- Gavilyte C|G|N
- Golytely
- Magnesium Citrate
- Nulytely
- Moviprep
- PEG 3350
- Plenvu
- Suflav
- Suprep
- Sutab
PROCEDURE DAY
- DIET
- NO - food or liquids on the procedure day
- ARRIVAL
- Please ensure you arrive 1-1.5 hours before your procedure
- You will check in at registration when you arrive
- PRE-PROCEDURE
- The clinical team will go through the clinical assessment as well as risks & benefits of the procedure
- The anesthesia team will explain all aspects before the procedure
- Consent forms the procedure will need to be signed
- SEDATION
- An intravenous line will be inserted into your arm to administer medication
- You will be given intravenous sedation medication during the procedure
- POSITION
- You will be instructed to lie on the left side with your knees up to your chest
- VISUALIZATION
- After sedation, the colonoscope is inserted through the anus & gently advanced to visualize the colon.
- Since better views are obtained during withdrawal than during insertion, a more careful examination is done during withdrawal of the scope
- POST-PROCEDURE
- It will take approximately 30 minutes to 1 hour to recover from the anesthesia
- The clinical team will observe for any symptoms or signs of abdominal pain, vomiting, dizziness, blood pressure issues, heart rate issue, fever
- If you are doing well & have woken up from the anesthesia you will likely be discharged to go home 1 hour after the procedure
- DIAGNOSTIC
- If any diagnostic tissue samples or biopsies are required it can be obtained through the endoscope during the procedure
- THERAPEUTIC
- If intervention is required, it will be done during the procedure.
- Polyps may be removed with electrocautery snares, & photographs may be taken.
- Biopsies may be taken
- PATHOLOGIST
- Biopsies are tissue samples that are reviewed by a Pathologist under the microscope
- The Pathologist will determine the nature of the tissue samples
- The Pathologist will send the reports to our office
- FOLLOW UP
- Our providers will review the report in detail
- The findings will be reviewed with you in detail upon follow up
AFTER YOUR PROCEDURE
- RECOVERY
- You will be under observation for 30 minutes to monitor for any symptoms
- You will be awake within 30 min but may still be groggy for 12-24hrs
- Do not plan to drive the remainder of the day after your procedure
- TRANSPORTATION
- Do not plan to drive after your procedure
- You must have someone 18 years old or above to drive you home
- NO Uber | Lyft | Cab
- SYMPTOMS
- Normal post procedure symptoms:
- Bloating
- Gas
- Slight abdominal pain
- Some diarrhea
- Weakness
- Abnormal post procedure symptoms:
- Bleeding
- Excessive vomiting
- Fever >100
- Severe abdominal pain
- Any other severe or unusual symptoms
- Please call 911 & go to the nearest emergency room
- Normal post procedure symptoms:
- APPOINTMENT
- Ensure that you have a followup 2-3 weeks after the procedure
- RESULTS
- Your results will be discussed in detail
- Treatment recommendations will be given
- QUESTIONS
- Call GastroDoxs @ 832-632-4070
PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS: