Colonoscopy

A colonoscopy, also called coloscopy, is an endoscopic examination of the colon.

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What is a gastroscopy?

During a gastroscopic examination, you get a flexible tube with a camera (gastroscope) on the end through the mouth into the oesophagus and on to the stomach and duodenum. This examination is mostly used to find out the reason for swallowing difficulty, nausea, vomiting, heartburn, indigestion, abdominal pain or chest pain.

Other instruments can be inserted through the gastroscope. Thus, tissue samples can also be taken during the examination and polyps or strictures can be removed.

Preparing for the examination

Other points of interest before the examination:

  • You should not eat or drink starting six hours before the examination.
  • Report if you have clotting problems and/or are taking anti-clotting medication. You may not be allowed to take these (temporarily).
    • How to stop blood thinners? Contact your primary care physician and/or gastroenterologist to discuss this.
  • Report if you have heart or lung disease. In this case, certain precautions may be necessary.
  • Bring your medication list with you.

The examination

At the beginning of the examination, the back of your mouth and throat will be numbed locally with a spray. You must swallow this spray. It serves to suppress the vomiting reflex. The examination lasts five minutes. 

Aftercare

You may leave the hospital after the examination. Because of the local numbness of the mouth and throat, you may not eat or drink until the anaesthesia wears off. This takes about 30 minutes. Because air is blown in and fluid is aspirated, you may have a slightly bloated abdomen on the day of the examination. Your throat may feel slightly irritated.

The examination

A colonoscopy is performed under sedation. After the examination, you will rest for a while on the ward.

Aftercare

The examination itself is very safe. Very rarely, a colonoscopy may cause bleeding or a perforation. In the exceptional event that bleeding occurs, it can almost always be treated with a local endoscopic procedure. Very rarely, surgery is needed.

If you have bleeding or sudden severe pain after the examination, go to the emergency department immediately, even if this happens a few days later. In that case, stop eating and drinking straight away.

Frequently asked questions

3 days before the examination

It is important that you follow a low-fibre diet. You will find the detailed guidance in the brochure below.

1 day before the examination

  • At 6 pm: have a final light meal.
  • At 7 pm: dissolve the first Moviprep dual sachet in 1 litre of cold water and drink it all (about 1 glass every 15 minutes). Moviprep is available without a prescription.
  • Also drink at least 1 litre of clear fluids (water, coffee or tea without milk, no carbonated drinks).
  • From then on, stay sober. This means you should not eat, but you can drink. Do you have any questions? Please contact us.
  • If you vomit, you can take Primperan or Motilium. 

Day of the examination

  • Do not eat, drinking clear fluids is allowed.
  • You may take your morning medication.
  • Dissolve the second Moviprep dual sachet in 1 litre of cold water and drink it all within 1 hour.
  • Drink at least 1 more litre of water.

Do you take medication? If so, please bring your full medication list with you to the hospital. On the morning of the examination, you may take your medication with a sip of water. Please also complete the sedation form (patient questionnaire) you were given and bring it with you to the hospital.

From the evening before the examination, you must not eat anymore. On the morning of the examination, you must stay fasting, but you may still drink clear liquids.

You may not drive your own car home that day. It's best to ask if someone can pick you up.

Information brochure

Gastroscopie (153.65 KB)

Departments

Would you like more information or to make an appointment? If so, please contact the department of gastroenterology.

Gastroenterology

Plan your appointment

Call for an appointment 011 69 96 00