Welcome to New Choice Health where we help you make informed decisions about your medical procedures by giving you the tools you need to compare facilities in your area.
Shop and save with New Choice Health!
Procedure | Price Range | |
---|---|---|
Colonoscopy Cost Average | $1,100 - $3,700 | Free Quote |
Facility | City | Type |
---|---|---|
Hudson Crossing Surgery Center | Fort Lee | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
New York Westchester Square Medical Center | Bronx | Medical Center |
Garden State Endoscopy and Surgery Center | Kenilworth | GI Diagnostic Center |
St. Vincent's Staten Island Surgery Services | Staten Island | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
May Street Surgi Center | Edison | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Northwell Hospital Glen Cove | Glen Cove | Acute Care Hospital |
Essex Endoscopy Center of Nj | Newark | GI Diagnostic Center |
Hackensack University Medical Center | Hackensack | Acute Care Hospital |
Holy Name Medical Center | Teaneck | Acute Care Hospital |
Palisades Medical Center | North Bergen | Acute Care Hospital |
Garden State Ambulatory Surgery Center | Toms River | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Roxbury Open MRI and Surgical Center | Succasunna | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Hudson Terrace Medical | Englewood Cliffs | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Paramus Surgical Center | Paramus | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Plainview Hospital | Plainview | Acute Care Hospital |
Morristown Surgical Ctr. @ Madison Ave. | Morristown | GI Diagnostic Center |
Lutheran Healthcare | Brooklyn | Acute Care Hospital |
Manalapan Surgery Center | Manalapan | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Franklin Surgical Center | Basking Ridge | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Hillside Surgicare | Jamaica | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Jersey City Medical Center | Jersey City | Acute Care Hospital |
Long Island College Hospital | Brooklyn | Acute Care Hospital |
Jelksmedical | New York | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Montefiore Mount Vernon Hospital | Mount Vernon | Acute Care Hospital |
Monmouth Medical Center - Southern Campus | Lakewood | Acute Care Hospital |
Raritan Bay Medical Center | Perth Amboy | Acute Care Hospital |
Valley Hospital | Ridgewood | Acute Care Hospital |
Endo-surgi Center of Old Bridge | Old Bridge | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Carewell Health Medical Center | East Orange | Acute Care Hospital |
Endoscopic Ambulatory Specialty Center of Bay Ridge | Brooklyn | GI Diagnostic Center |
Bellevue Hospital Center | New York | Acute Care Hospital |
Hudson Regional Hospital | Secaucus | Acute Care Hospital |
Roseland Ambulatory Surgery Center | Roseland | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Westchester Ambulatory Surgery Center | White Plains | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Moshenyat's Gastroenterology O.b.s. | Brooklyn | GI Diagnostic Center |
Bergen Ambulatory Surgery Center | Saddle Brook | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Ns/Lij Hs Southside Hospital | Bay Shore | Acute Care Hospital |
Hackensack Endoscopy Center | Hackensack | GI Diagnostic Center |
Mount Sinai South Nassau | Oceanside | Acute Care Hospital |
Synergy Medical | New York | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Weissman Endoscopy Obs | Brooklyn | GI Diagnostic Center |
Nassau University Medical Center | East Meadow | Acute Care Hospital |
James Street Surgical Suite | Morristown | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
North Central Bronx Hospital | Bronx | Acute Care Hospital |
Westchester Medical Center | Valhalla | Acute Care Hospital |
Shrewsbury Surgery Center | Shrewsbury | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Somerset Ambulatory Surgical Center | Somerville | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Center for Special Procedures | Lakewood | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Monmouth Surgi Center | Red Bank | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Forest Hills Hospital | Forest Hills | Acute Care Hospital |
Lawrence Hospital Center | Bronxville | Acute Care Hospital |
Melville Surgery Center | Melville | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Ramapo Valley Surgical Center | Ramsey | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Brookdale Hospital Medical Center | Brooklyn | Acute Care Hospital |
Mount Sinai St Luke's Roosevelt Hospital | New York | Acute Care Hospital |
Fifth Avenue Surgery Center | New York | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Fort Washington Center | New York | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Fifth Avenue Medical Operatory | New York | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
St John's Riverside Hospital | Yonkers | Acute Care Hospital |
Ocean Endosurgery Center | Toms River | GI Diagnostic Center |
Stoneleigh Medical Endoscopy Obs | Carmel | GI Diagnostic Center |
John T Mather Memorial Hospital of Port Jefferson | Port Jefferson | Acute Care Hospital |
Englewood Hospital and Medical Center | Englewood | Acute Care Hospital |
Ocean Parkway Endoscopy Obs | Brooklyn | GI Diagnostic Center |
Endoscopy Center of Bergen County | Paramus | GI Diagnostic Center |
Mount Sinai Beth Israel | New York | Acute Care Hospital |
Saint Joseph's Wayne Hospital | Wayne | Acute Care Hospital |
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital - Somerset | Somerville | Acute Care Hospital |
Garden State Surgical Center | Fair Lawn | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Surgicare of Oradell | Oradell | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Bergen Gastroenterology | Emerson | GI Diagnostic Center |
Brooklyn Hospital Center - Downtown Campus | Brooklyn | Acute Care Hospital |
Kings County Hospital Center | Brooklyn | Acute Care Hospital |
American Surgical Center of West Orange | West Orange | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
North Shore University Hospital | Manhasset | Acute Care Hospital |
Ap Surgery Center | Edison | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Manhattan Colorectal Surgical Unit | New York | GI Diagnostic Center |
Community Hospital at Dobbs Ferry | Dobbs Ferry | Acute Care Hospital |
Northern Monmouth Regional Surgery Center | Manalapan | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Advanced Endoscopy and Surgical Center | Eatontown | GI Diagnostic Center |
North Jersey Ambulatory Surgery Center | Hackensack | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Mercy Medical Center | Rockville Centre | Acute Care Hospital |
St Charles Hospital | Port Jefferson | Acute Care Hospital |
Peconic Bay Medical Center | Riverhead | Acute Care Hospital |
Short Hills Surgery Center | Millburn | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Accredited Endoscopy Services Obs | New Hyde Park | GI Diagnostic Center |
Saint Clare's Hospital/ Denville Campus | Denville | Acute Care Hospital |
South Shore Ambulatory Surgery Center | Lynbrook | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
2116 Kings Highway GI | Brooklyn | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Richmond Ambulatory Services | Staten Island | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Ambulatory Sugical Center of Union County | Union | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Usdk Medical | Rockville Centre | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Long Island Endoscopy Center | Setauket | GI Diagnostic Center |
Surgicare Ambulatory Surgery Center of Ny | Bronx | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Putnam Hospital Center | Carmel | Acute Care Hospital |
The Reed Center | New York | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Franklin Hospital | Valley Stream | Acute Care Hospital |
Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center | West Islip | Acute Care Hospital |
Endoscopy Obs at Hmg | Huntington Station | GI Diagnostic Center |
New York GICenter | Bronx | GI Diagnostic Center |
Nyu Langone Hospitals | New York | Acute Care Hospital |
Gold Ambulatory Surgery Center | Great Neck | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Suburban Endoscopy Center | Verona | GI Diagnostic Center |
Upper East Side Surgical | New York | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
New York - Presbyterian Hospital | New York | Acute Care Hospital |
Morristown Medical Center | Morristown | Acute Care Hospital |
Ambulatory Surgery Center | Livingston | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Endoscopic Diagnostic and Treatment Center | Brooklyn | GI Diagnostic Center |
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital at Rahway | Rahway | Acute Care Hospital |
New York Community Hospital of Brooklyn, Inc. | Brooklyn | Acute Care Hospital |
Surgicore of Jersey City, LLC | Jersey City | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Center for Surgical Specialties | Rutherford | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Unite Health Center | New York | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Community Medical Center | Toms River | Acute Care Hospital |
Centrastate Medical Center | Freehold | Acute Care Hospital |
Riverview Medical Center | Red Bank | Acute Care Hospital |
Hanover Endoscopy Center | Whippany | GI Diagnostic Center |
Flushing Hospital Medical Center | Flushing | Acute Care Hospital |
Ocean Medical Center | Brick | Acute Care Hospital |
Essex Surgical Arts Surgery Center | Belleville | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Gramercy Surgery Center | New York | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Passaic Beth Israel Regional Medical Center | Passaic | Medical Center |
Seashore Surgical Institute | Brick | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Maj Surgery | Rye | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Hackensack Surgery Center | Hackensack | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Wayne Surgical Center | Wayne | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Maimonides Medical Center | Brooklyn | Acute Care Hospital |
Northfield Surgical Center | West Orange | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Shore Outpatient Surgicenter | Lakewood | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Chsli St Joseph Hospital | Bethpage | Acute Care Hospital |
Atlantic Surgery Center | Long Branch | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Good Samaritan Hospital of Suffern | Suffern | Acute Care Hospital |
Gastroenterology Diagnostics of Northern New Jersey | West Paterson | GI Diagnostic Center |
Hackensack Meridian Health, Mountainside Medical | Montclair | Acute Care Hospital |
Endo Surgi Center | Union | GI Diagnostic Center |
Pilgrim Medical Center | Montclair | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Memorial Sloan-kettering Cancer Center | New York | Acute Care Hospital |
Southampton Hospital | Southampton | Acute Care Hospital |
Montvale Surgical Center | Montvale | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Boulevard Surgical Center | Long Island City | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center | Brooklyn | Medical Center |
Toms River Surgery Center | Toms River | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Park Avenue Ambulatory Surgery | New York | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Jacobi Medical Center | Bronx | Acute Care Hospital |
The University Hospital | Newark | Acute Care Hospital |
Ambulatory Surgical Center of New Jersey | Edison | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
The Endoscopy Center of Red Bank | Red Bank | GI Diagnostic Center |
County Line Endoscopy and Surgical Center | North Bergen | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
St Francis Hospital - the Heart Center | Roslyn | Acute Care Hospital |
60 East End Office Endoscopy | New York | GI Diagnostic Center |
Columbus Hospital | Newark | Acute Care Hospital |
Endoscopy Center of Ocean County | Toms River | GI Diagnostic Center |
White Plains Hospital Center | White Plains | Acute Care Hospital |
Harlem Hospital Center | New York | Acute Care Hospital |
Pascack Valley Hospital | Westwood | Acute Care Hospital |
New York Methodist Hospital | Brooklyn | Acute Care Hospital |
Sheepshead Bay Surgery Center | Brooklyn | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Carepoint Health - Hoboken University Medical Center | Hoboken | Acute Care Hospital |
Sdk Medical | Great Neck | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Parkmed | New York | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Center for Special Surgery | Wall Township | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Palisade Surgery Center | Fort Lee | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Park Avenue Endoscopy | New York | GI Diagnostic Center |
Queens Hospital Center | Jamaica | Acute Care Hospital |
Prospect Street Obs | Huntington | GI Diagnostic Center |
Day-op Center of Long Island | Mineola | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Stonybrook Surigcal Assoicates | Stonybrook | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Montefiore New Rochelle Hospital | New Rochelle | Acute Care Hospital |
Interfaith Medical Center | Brooklyn | Medical Center |
Long Island Community Hospital | East Patchogue | Acute Care Hospital |
Loewenstein Endoscopy Ofiices | Long Beach | GI Diagnostic Center |
Ambulatory Surgery Center of Greater New York | Bronx | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
The Nguyen Center | Stony Brook | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Newark Beth Israel Medical Center | Newark | Acute Care Hospital |
Bey Lea Ambulatory Surgical Center | Toms River | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Bergen New Bridge Medical Center | Paramus | Acute Care Hospital |
Nyc Health Plus Hospitals/Coney Island | Brooklyn | Acute Care Hospital |
Carepoint Health - Christ Hospital | Jersey City | Acute Care Hospital |
Hudson Valley Hospital Center | Cortlandt Manor | Acute Care Hospital |
Garden City Plaza Office Based Surgery | Garden City | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Oak Tree Surgery Center | Edison | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Union Hospital | Union | Acute Care Hospital |
Suny/Downstate University Hospital of Brooklyn | Brooklyn | Acute Care Hospital |
Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center | Livingston | Acute Care Hospital |
Chilton Medical Center | Pompton Plains | Acute Care Hospital |
Endoscopy Center of Long Island | Garden City | GI Diagnostic Center |
Old Hook Medical Surgicenter | Emerson | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Jfk Medical Center | Edison | Acute Care Hospital |
Ambulatory Center of Excellence In Surgery | Bloomfield | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
New York - Presbyterian/Queens | Flushing | Acute Care Hospital |
Jamaica Hospital Medical Center | Jamaica | Acute Care Hospital |
Metropolitan Surgical Institute | South Amboy | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
The Ambulatory Surgery Center of Westchester | Mt Kisco | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Saint Peter's University Hospital | New Brunswick | Acute Care Hospital |
Manhattan East Endoscopy | New York | GI Diagnostic Center |
Suffolk Surgery Center | Shirley | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Ambulatory Surgery Center of Brooklyn | Brooklyn | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Carepoint Health - Bayonne Medical Center | Bayonne | Acute Care Hospital |
Glen Ridge Surgi Center | Glen Ridge | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Long Island Jewish Medical Center | New Hyde Park | Acute Care Hospital |
Bronx Health System | Bronx | Acute Care Hospital |
Nyack Hospital | Nyack | Acute Care Hospital |
Manhattan Office Endoscopy | New York | GI Diagnostic Center |
Ambulatory Surgical Center of Old Bridge | Old Bridge | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Physcian's Choice Surgicenter | Howard Beach | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Mediplex Surgery Center | Edison | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Rockefeller University Hospital | New York | Acute Care Hospital |
Long Island Center for Digestive Health | Garden City | GI Diagnostic Center |
Florham Park Endoscopy Center | Florham Park | GI Diagnostic Center |
S S C and Z Endoscopy Center | Fort Lee | GI Diagnostic Center |
Prohealth Ambulatory Surgery Center | New Hyde Park | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Suny/Stony Brook University Hospital | Stony Brook | Acute Care Hospital |
New York Downtown Hospital | New York | Acute Care Hospital |
Southern Ocean Medical Center | Manahawkin | Acute Care Hospital |
University Surgicenter | East Brunswick | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Digestive Health Center of Huntington | Huntington | GI Diagnostic Center |
Ambulatory Surgery Center of East Tremont Medical Center | Bronx | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Beth Israel Amb Surg Cent Brooklyn Division | Brooklyn | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
North Jersey Surgery Center | Englewood Cliffs | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
The Gastro Surgical Center of Nj | Mountainside | GI Diagnostic Center |
Karpinski Ambulatory Surgery Unit | New York | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Synergy First Medical | Brooklyn | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Eltra | West Orange | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Teaneck Gastroenterology | Teaneck | GI Diagnostic Center |
Overlook Medical Center | Summit | Acute Care Hospital |
Sheepshead Bay Endoscopy | Brooklyn | GI Diagnostic Center |
Central Jersey Surgery Center. | Eatontown | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Lakewood Surgery Center | Lakewood | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Endosurgical Center of Central Nj | East Brunswick | GI Diagnostic Center |
Metropolitan Surgery Center | Hackensack | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Central Jersey Ambulatory Surgical Center | Hillsborough | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Surgical Center at Millburn | Millburn | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Austin Medical Obs | Forest Hills | GI Diagnostic Center |
Brooklyn Endoscopy and Ambulatory Surgery Center | Brooklyn | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Newton Medical Center | Newton | Acute Care Hospital |
Lenox Hill Hospital | New York | Acute Care Hospital |
North Fullerton Surgery Center | Montclair | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Ridgedale Surgery Center | Cedar Knolls | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Ksc Or Services | Huntington | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Saint Mary's Ambulatory Surgery Center | Palisades Park | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Market Street Surgical Center | Saddle Brook | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Ocean Surgical Pavilion | Oakhurst | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Bayshore Medical Center | Holmdel | Acute Care Hospital |
Andrew Jacono Center | Great Neck | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Saint Clare's Hospital - Sussex | Sussex | Acute Care Hospital |
St Mary's General Hospital | Passaic | Acute Care Hospital |
Blythedale Children's Hospital | Valhalla | Childrens Hospital |
Ironbound Endosurgical Center | Newark | GI Diagnostic Center |
Endo Surgical Center of North Jersey | Clifton | GI Diagnostic Center |
Our Lady of Mercy Medical Center | Bronx | Medical Center |
A Center for Advanced Surgery | Paramus | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Sea Oaks Surgery Center | Little Egg Harbor | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Saint Michael's Medical Center | Newark | Acute Care Hospital |
Metropolitan Hospital Center | New York | Acute Care Hospital |
Vijay Arya Gastroenterology | Middle Village | GI Diagnostic Center |
North Jersey Center for Surgery | Newton | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Nj Gastro and Endoscopy Ce | Wayne | GI Diagnostic Center |
Surgicenter | Toms River | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Ridgewood Ambulatory Surgery Center | Ridgewood | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Meadowbrook Endoscopy Center | Westbury | GI Diagnostic Center |
Advanced Endoscopy Center | Bronx | GI Diagnostic Center |
Fifth Avenue Surgery | New York | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Bergen Passaic Ambulatory Surgery Center | Clifton | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Somerset Surgical Center | Bridgewater | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Montefiore Medical Center | Bronx | Acute Care Hospital |
Day Op of North Nassau | Great Neck | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Surgicare of Englewood Cliffs | Englewood Cliffs | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Murray Hill Care | New York | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Richmond Ambulatory Surgical Facility | Staten Island | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Summit Medical Group Ambulatory Surgery Center | Berkeley Heights | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Rockland Ambulatory Surgery | Pearl River | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Edison Surgical Center | Edison | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
North Shore Surgi-center | Smithtown | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Hunterdon Medical Center | Flemington | Acute Care Hospital |
Winthrop-university Hospital | Mineola | Acute Care Hospital |
Saint James Hospital | Newark | Acute Care Hospital |
Eastern Long Island Hospital | Greenport | Acute Care Hospital |
Surgery Center of Somerset | Somerset | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Clifton Surgery Center | Clifton | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Ns/Lij Hs Huntington Hospital | Huntington | Acute Care Hospital |
St Barnabas Hospital | Bronx | Acute Care Hospital |
Mount Sinai Hospital | New York | Acute Care Hospital |
Cares Ambulatory Surgery Services | New Brunswick | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Northern Westchester Hospital | Mount Kisco | Acute Care Hospital |
Elmhurst Hospital Center | Elmhurst | Acute Care Hospital |
Northeast Surgical | Mount Kisco | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Phelps Hospital | Sleepy Hollow | Acute Care Hospital |
Staten Island University Hospital | Staten Island | Acute Care Hospital |
Monmouth Medical Center | Long Branch | Acute Care Hospital |
Ambulatory Center for Endoscopy | North Bergen | GI Diagnostic Center |
Queens Surgi-center | Glendale | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Gupta Rockaway Obs | Far Rockaway | GI Diagnostic Center |
Wyckoff Heights Medical Center | Brooklyn | Acute Care Hospital |
Children's Specialized Hospital | Mountainside | Childrens Hospital |
St Joseph's Medical Center | Yonkers | Acute Care Hospital |
Trinitas Regional Medical Center | Elizabeth | Acute Care Hospital |
Kips Bay Endoscopy Center | New York | GI Diagnostic Center |
The Center for Ambulatory Surgery | Mountainside | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Premier Endoscopy | Clifton | GI Diagnostic Center |
Linden Surgical Center | Linden | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Hunterdon Center for Surgery | Flemington | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital | New Brunswick | Acute Care Hospital |
St John's Episcopal Hospital at South Shore | Far Rockaway | Acute Care Hospital |
All City Family Health Care | Brooklyn | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Greenville Hospital | Jersey City | Acute Care Hospital |
Advanced Surgical Arts Center | Edison | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Affiliated Ambulatory Surgery | Morristown | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
St Joseph's University Medical Center Inc | Paterson | Acute Care Hospital |
Progressive Surgery Center | Farmingdale | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Saddle River Valley Surgical Center | Paramus | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Clara Maass Medical Center | Belleville | Acute Care Hospital |
Surgical Center at Cedar Knolls | Cedar Knolls | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Atrium Surgery Center | Mine Hill | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Middlesex Surgery Center | Edison | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Essex Surgery Center | Hackensack | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Jersey Shore University Medical Center | Neptune | Acute Care Hospital |
Brook Plaza Ambulatory Surg Ctr | Brooklyn | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Advanced Surgical Arts Facility | Staten Island | Ambulatory Surgical Center |
Colonoscopy Introduction
A colonoscopy is a procedure which allows a doctor to view inside the large intestine (colon) using a tool called a colonoscope. A key advantage of the procedure is that, when needed, other instruments can be passed through the colonoscope. These may be used, for example, to painlessly remove a suspicious-looking growth or to biopsy, that is, take a small piece of tissue for further analysis. Although colonoscopy is the best test available to detect and treat abnormalities within the colon, other alternative procedures are abdominal x-ray, computed tomography (CT scan), abdominal ultrasound, barium enema, sigmoidoscopy and, more recently, an alternative is a Virtual colonoscopy. These exams, however, do not allow direct viewing of the colon, removal of polyps, or the completion of biopsies, so, if an abnormality is found during one of these procedures, a colonoscopy may still be required to biopsy or remove the abnormality.
Patient Preparation For A Colonoscopy
You will be given instructions in advance that will outline what you should and should not do in preparation for colonoscopy. Central to these instructions is the need to cleanse the intestinal tract, modify diet and manage medications; be sure to read and follow those instructions. It is particularly important to inform the physician of all medications or vitamins taken regularly or if you are pregnant (or think you might be pregnant) or if you have heart, lung or other medical conditions that may need special attention, and, finally, if you have a history of bleeding disorders or if you are taking any anticoagulant (blood-thinning) medications, aspirin, or other medications that affect blood clotting. Arrangements should be made for transportation after the surgery is complete.
What to expect during and after a Colonoscopy
The procedure takes about 30 minutes to perform and is seldom remembered by the sedated patient. The sedative and pain medication usually cause most patients to dose off during the procedure. An intravenous line is inserted into the arm to administer a sedative and a painkiller. Also, your heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, and oxygen level will be monitored during the procedure. Once you are fully relaxed, you will be asked to lie on your left side with your knees bent towards your chest. Your doctor will first do a rectal exam with a gloved, lubricated finger; then the lubricated colonoscope will be gently inserted into the anus and gently advanced into the rectum and colon. As the scope is slowly and carefully passed, you may feel as if you need to move your bowels, and because air is introduced to help advance the scope, you may feel some cramping or fullness. Generally, however, there is little or no discomfort. The physician will examine the colon. If a polyp is seen, it may be removed, biopsied, or left alone until a subsequent operation is performed.
After the procedure is competed you will be taken to the recovery area and monitored until the medication has worn off. After recovery, the physician will explain the results to you, provide instructions on care and diet and then your driver will be allowed to take you home. It is normal to experience mild cramping or abdominal pressure following the exam. This usually subsides in an hour or so, after the air has been expelled. Notify your physician to report any of the following: fever and/or chills, frequent bloody stools, abdominal pain and/or bloating, inability to pass gas.
In the news