Colonoscopy the procedure explained

How long will I be in the endoscopy department?

This largely depends on how quickly you recover from the sedation and how busy the department is. You should expect to be in the department for approximately 3 hours. 

The department also looks after emergencies and these can take priority over our outpatient lists.

What happens when I arrive?

When you arrive in the department, you will be met by a qualified nurse or health care assistant who will ask you a few questions, one of which concerns your arrangements for getting home. You will also be able to ask further questions about the investigation.

The nurse will ensure you understand the procedure and discuss any outstanding concerns or questions you may have. As you will be having sedation a small cannula maybe inserted (small plastic tube) in the back of your hand through which sedation will be administered later

As you will have sedation you will not be permitted to drive or use public transport so you must arrange for a family member or friend to collect you. The nurse will need to be given their telephone number so that we can contact them when you are ready for discharge.

You will have a brief medical assessment when a qualified endoscopy nurse will ask you some questions regarding your medical condition and any surgery or illnesses you have had to confirm that you are fit to undergo the investigation.

Your blood pressure and heart rate will be recorded and if you are diabetic, your blood glucose level will also be recorded. Should you suffer from breathing problems a recording of your oxygen levels will be taken. 

If you have not already done so, and you are happy to proceed, you will be asked to sign your consent form at this point.

Intravenous sedation 

The sedation and a painkiller will be administered into a vein in your hand or arm which will make you slightly drowsy and relaxed but not unconscious. You will be in a state called cooperative sedation. This means that, although drowsy, you will still hear what is said to you and therefore will be able to follow simple instructions during the investigation. Sedation makes it unlikely that you will remember anything about the examination. 

Whilst you are sedated, we will monitor your breathing and heart rate so changes will be noted and dealt with accordingly. For this reason you will be connected by a finger probe to a pulse oximeter which measures your oxygen levels and heart rate during the procedure. Your blood pressure may also be recorded. 

Please note as you have had sedation you must not drive, take alcohol, operate heavy machinery or sign any legally binding documents for 24 hours following the procedure and you will need someone to accompany you home.

The colonoscopy investigation 

In turn you will be escorted into the procedure room where the endoscopist and the nurses will introduce themselves and you will have the opportunity to ask any final questions. 

The nurse looking after you will ask you to lie on your left side and will then place the oxygen monitoring probe on your finger. The sedative drugs will be administered into a cannula (tube) in your vein. 

The colonoscopy involves manoeuvring the colonoscope around the entire length of your large bowel. There are some bends that naturally occur in the bowel and negotiating these may be uncomfortable for a short period of time but the sedation and analgesia will minimise any discomfort. 

CO2 or Air is gently passed into the bowel during the investigation to facilitate the passage of the colonoscope. 

During the procedure samples may be taken from the lining of your bowel for analysis in our laboratories. These will be retained.