Third Eye

By Kate Chamberlin

My husband had the dubious privilege of having the latest, high-tech device scan his colon.  The procedure is called a colonoscopy and the device is called a  Third-Eye RetroScope.

“The Third Eye ® Retroscope® from Avantis Medical  is FDA 510(k) cleared,”  states their website (hit on Mar01-2012.  “This new direction in colonoscopy screening for colon cancer.  The only colonoscope system that delivers a continuous retrograde view of the colon to offer improved visualization.  It integrates state-of-the-art technology with the gold standard colonoscope procedure by using a reinforced catheter, which is passed through the working channel of the standard colonoscope until it extends beyond its distal tip. As it emerges, the device automatically turns around 180 degrees to aim back toward the tip of the colonoscopy and the endoscopist locks it into place.

“Then, as the colonoscope is withdrawn from the colon, the Third Eye comes along with it, providing a continuous retrograde view to complement the forward

view of the colonoscope. When a lesion has been detected in the retrograde view, quick and easy removal of the Third Eye Retroscope frees up the working channel for polypectomy snare or biopsy.”

I  was probably about nine-years old when Cherie Smith and I walked down to visit another friend.  We found several girls in her bedroom and one in the closet.  The girl in the closet was head down with her bare bottom up.  A funnel had been inserted and they were pouring water into her.

Cherie and I left as fast as we could, but the phone lines  must have been blistering, because when I got home my mother had a lot of questions.

A case of curious girls doing naughty things?  Perhaps, but how fortunate some continued their curiosity of the human bowels and developed the colonoscope and the procedure to use it called a colonoscopy.  Colonoscopy is a lot more refined that a funnel in the butt!

“It is a procedure that enables your physician to examine the lining of the colon (large bowel) for abnormalities,” states the patient fact sheet.  “By inserting a flexible tube that is about the thickness of your finger into the anus and advancing it slowly into the rectum and colon.

   “The colon must be completely clean for the procedure to be accurate and complete: For 4 days prior to colonoscopy, avoid all vegetables except potatoes.  Avoid bran, wheat bread, fruit skins, oatmeal, and fiber supplements such as Metamucil or Citrucel.

For 4 days prior to colonoscopy, stop iron supplements (multivitamins containing iron are OK).  For 4 days prior to colonoscopy, unless your doctor specifically instructs you otherwise, do not take any form of aspirin, or any type of arthritis medicine, pain medicine or headache medicine other than Tylenol.  Darvon, Darvocet, Percocet, Codeine, and Prednisone are OK.  If you take Coumadin: stop it 4 days (4 doses) before colonoscopy, unless otherwise instructed by your doctor.  For diabetics- If you take pills for your diabetes. take ½ the usual dosage on the day of the laxative preparation and the day of the procedure.  If you take insulin, stop regular  insulin and take just 1/2 of the dosage of NPH (N) insulin on the day of the laxative preparation and the day of the procedure.

Take all other medications, especially heart, blood pressure, breathing, and seizure medications on your usual schedule.

The day before your colonoscopy, follow a clear liquid diet.  Clear liquids are any that you can see through, such as clear soda, apple juice, Jell-O (not red), water, light tea, broth.  NOT coffee, cream soups, puddings, etc.”

   After reading this to me, my husband said that he could see through my Michelob Lite so it was a clear liquid and that our chips were potato; hence, I had a diet of beer and chips for four days.  The time passed quite pleasantly for me!

“Step 1,” the fact sheet continued, “At 6 pm the evening before colonoscopy, take 1/2ounces of Fleet’s Phosphosoda mixed into 8 ­ounces of cold water.  Follow this immediately with another 8-ounce glass of cold water.  Wait 20 minutes, then have 8 ounces of cold water every 20 minutes until you have had an additional three 8 ounce glasses of water. (Total glasses of water = 5, including first glass with the Fleet’s phosphosoda.)

“Step 2: Repeat Step 1 about 4 hours prior to your appointed time for colonoscopy the next day.

“Watery stools, sometimes cramps, most often begins 30 minutes to 2 hours after Phosphosoda medication is taken, and usually continues for 2 to 4 hours.  If you are nauseated by the first dose of medication, dilute the second dose in 12 ounces of colder water, and sip it very slowly.  Follow your doctor’s instructions careful­ly. If you do not, the procedure may have to be canceled and repeated later.”

I was very careful to eat very little during the first four days and , then, I diluted the Fleet=s Afast@soda and experienced no discomfort.  Be warned though: Stay near the bathroom.  My first release was only 12-minutes after drinking the almighty liquefying potion.

   “ A Colonoscopy is usually well tolerated and rarely causes much pain,” asserts the fact sheet.  “There is often a feeling of pressure, bloating, or cramping at times during the procedure.  Your doctor may give you medication through a vein to help you relax and better tolerate any discomfort from the procedure.  You will be lying on your side or on your back while the colonoscope is advanced slowly through the large intestine.  As the colonoscope is slowly withdrawn, the lining is again carefully examined.  The proce­dure usually takes 15 to 60 minutes.  In some cases, passage of the colonoscope through the entire colon to its junction with the small intestine cannot be achieved.  The physician will decide if the limited examination is suffi­cient or if other examinations are necessary.

“If your doctor thinks an area of the bowel needs to be evaluated in greater detail, a forceps instrument is passed through the colonoscope to obtain a biopsy (a sample of the colon lining).  This specimen is submitted to the pathology laboratory for analysis.  If colonoscopy is being performed to identify sites of bleeding, the areas of bleeding may be con­trolled through the colonoscope by injecting certain medications or by coagulation (sealing off bleeding vessels with heat treatment).  If polyps are found, they are generally removed.  None of these additional procedures typically produce pain.  Remember, the biopsies are taken for many reasons and do not necessarily mean that cancer is suspected.

   “Polyps are abnormal growths from the lining of the colon which vary in size from a tiny dot to several inches.  The majority of polyps are benign (noncancerous) but the doctor cannot always tell a benign from a malig­nant (cancerous) polyp by its outer appearance alone.  For this reason, removed polyps are sent for tissue analysis.  Removal of colon polyps is an important means of preventing colo-rectal cancer.

“polyps may be totally destroyed by fulguration (burning), but larger polyps are removed by a technique called snare polypectomy.  The doctor passes a wire loop (snare) through the colonoscope and severs the attachment of the polyp from the intestinal wall by means of an electrical current.  You should feel no pain during the polypectomy.  There is a small risk that removing a polyp will cause bleeding or result in a bump to the wall of the colon, which could require emergency surgery.

After colonoscopy, your physician will explain the results to you.  If you have been given medications during the procedure, someone must drive you home from the procedure because of the sedation used during the examination.  Even if you feel alert after the procedure, your judgment and reflexes may be impaired by the sedation for the rest of the day, making it unsafe for you to drive or operate any machinery.

“You may have some cramping or bloating because of the air introduced into the colon during the examination.  This should disappear quickly with passage of flatus (gas).  Generally, you should be able to eat after leaving the endoscopy, but your doctor may restrict your diet and activities, especially after polypecto-Colonoscopy and polypectomy are generally safe when performed by physicians who have been specially trained and are experienced in these endoscopic procedures.

   “One possible complication is a perforation or tear through the bowel wall that could require surgery.  Bleeding may occur from the site of biopsy or polypectomy It is usually minor and stops on its own or can be controlled through the colonoscope.  Rarely, blood transfusions or surgery may be required.  Other potential risks include a reac­tion to the sedatives used and complications from heart or lung disease.  Localized irritation of the vein where medications were injected may rarely cause a tender lump lasting for several weeks, but this will go away eventual­ly. Applying hot packs or hot moist towels may help relieve discomfort.”

Well, my colonoscopy is behind me (sorry about the pun), the gas has passed, but (one “t” please) that isn’t the end of the tale (or should I say tail?).

“Although complications after colonoscopy are uncommon,” warns the fact sheet, “it is important for you to recognize early signs of any possible complication.  Contact your physician who per­formed the colonoscopy if you notice any of the following symptoms: severe abdominal pain, fever and chills, or rectal bleeding of more than one-half cup.  Bleeding can occur several days after polypectomy.”

Fortunately, gentle reader, my time has lapsed and I didn’t have any complications. I’m clean and clear and so is my husband.  How about you?