Your doctor has requested an endoscopic procedure for you. We will educate you about the procedure and all practicalities in the text below.
Requested endoscopic procedure
Your doctor has requested an endoscopic procedure for you. You have been explained what this procedure entails and possible complications that may arise. You have also been asked whether you are taking any form of anticoagulants (blood thinners), aspirin or clopidogrel. You have been instructed to continue, discontinue or temporarily replace those medications. Please contact your doctor if you have questions about the instructions.
What preparation is required?
- You will receive specific instructions for the bowel prep in a separate flyer
- Fasting means: do not drink, eat or smoke
Your companion/driver
If you bring someone with you, your companion will wait in the waiting room. There are no visitors allowed in the endoscopy suite during the procedure.
Appointment
You will receive your appointment from the Endoscopy front desk. If the appointment doesn’t suit you, please call 043-3877700.
Your doctor will prescribe the type of bowel preparation that is best for you. You have also received the recipe. If not, please contact your doctor. You will receive a separate flyer from the Endoscopy front desk with the specific instructions on how to use the bowel prep.
Day of the procedure
You will reach the Endoscopy department in the MUMC+ via walking route “G2 groen”. Please sign in at the front desk. You are kindly requested to arrive 15 minutes before the appointed time.
In the endoscopy suite, we double-check your name and date of birth. Hereafter we will put a band around your wrist with this information on it.
We ask you to take off your coat and to undress your lower body in the changing room (you may keep on your socks). After undressing you may cover yourself with a sheet (provided by us) and sit down on the bed in the endoscopy suite.
We will do a “time out procedure” to check your name and date of birth again. We will also check if we have anticipated the correct endoscopy procedure, what blood thinning medication you use or have discontinued/replaced, allergies for medications, pacemakers or hip or knee replacements. This is also the best time to ask questions to us.
After the time out, the procedure will start.
Sigmoidoscopy
A sigmoidoscopy enables your doctor to examine the lining of the left side of your colon for abnormalities by inserting a flexible tube a thick as a finger into your anus and slowly advancing it into the rectum and left-sided colon. You will lie on your left side while the physician advances the colonoscope through your colon (up unto your splenic flexure in the left-upper quadrant of your abdomen). The doctor will examine the lining carefully as she or he slowly withdraws the colonoscope. The procedure itself usually takes 5 to 15 minutes.
Sigmoidoscopy is well-tolerated and rarely causes much pain. You might feel pressure, bloating of cramping during the procedure.
Taking biopsies or removing tissue/polyps
If your doctor thinks an area needs further evaluation, he or she might pass an instrument through the endoscope to obtain a biopsy (a sample of the lining) to be analyzed. This will usually not cause any pain, but may lead to some blood loss. If the doctor finds polyps during the examination, they can usually be removed in the same procedure. This is done by cutting them loose with a wire loop or using a technique called “snare polypectomy”. That technique involves passing a wire loop through the endoscope and removing the polyp by using an electrical current. You should not feel pain during the polypectomy.
Possible complications
Colonoscopy/sigmoidoscopy and polypectomy are generally safe when performed by doctors who have been specially trained and are experienced in these procedures.
One possible complication is a perforation, or tear, through the bowel wall that could require surgery. Bleeding might occur at the site of biopsy or polypectomy, but it’s usually minor and self-limiting. Some patients might have a reaction to the sedatives or complications from heart or lung disease.
A different form of complication is a “missed leasion”. When a polyp is located just behind a fold or when the bowel is not completely clean, we might miss something.
Although complications after colonoscopy are uncommon, it’s important to recognize early signs of possible complications. Contact the Endoscopy front desk if you notice severe abdominal pains, fever and chills or rectal bleeding of more than a few drops. Note that bleeding can occur several days after the procedure. You will receive a note when leaving the endoscopy suite with the numbers you have to call in case of problems following the endoscopy.
Immediately after the procedure
After the procedure you will stay in the recovery suite for 1 hour or so. When you are fully awake, we will provide you with something to drink and eat.
Results of the procedure and further treatment
On leaving the endoscopy suite, you will receive a note with the following information:
- your appointment for the results of the procedure and further treatment
- a phone number to call when you might experience a complication after the procedure
- (when applicable) advice on your blood thinning medication.
If your general practitioner requested the examination, you will need to make an appointment with them to discuss the results. The general practitioner will receive a report from us within 14 days after the examination.
Teaching hospital
The Maastricht University Medical Center is a teaching hospital. It may be possible that the endoscopic procedure is performed by a trainee under supervision of a certified gastro-enterologist. At times, medical students are present to watch; your permission will then be specifically asked.
Contact
If you have any questions about the procedure after reading this flyer, please contact your doctor. If you have questions about practicalities, please call the Endoscopy front desk: 043-3877700 (workdays between 8.00 AM and 4.30 PM) or send an email to endoscopie@mumc.nl (blank)