Anesthesia is administered by an anesthesiologist to help patients relax for the test. You will be asked to lie on your left side and bring your knees toward your chest.

Once you are comfortable in the proper position, Dr. Jones will begin by performing a gentle finger examination of your rectum wearing a clean, lubricated glove. Then, a flexible endoscope will be lubricated and placed inside. You will feel a little pressure when this happens.

The endoscope is a long, soft, bendable tube. This instrument acts as a camera and allows Dr. Jones to view the inside of your digestive system on a video screen. It can also take pictures and record the procedure.

The endoscope is carefully moved up through your rectum and colon. To make it easier for Dr. Jones to see this area, your colon may be gently filled with a small quantity of air or water through the endoscope. This might cause you to feel full or bloated. This discomfort is usually very brief and goes away when the air is withdrawn.

To help guide the endoscope, you may experience gentle pressing on your abdomen or need to change position to your back or your right side for a short time during the procedure. Depending on what Dr. Jones sees, other procedures may be performed through the endoscope. These might include taking a biopsy or removing a polyp.* Each of these procedures are painless.

After any treatments are finished, Dr. Jones will slowly pull out the endoscope tube through your rectum. The colonoscopy will usually take 15 to 60 minutes depending on the procedures Dr. Jones performs.

*There are many ways that a polyp can be removed. One option is to grasp the polyp with a wire device and then remove it with electrical current. After a polyp is removed it is passed through the endoscope and sent to the laboratory for examination.