More comfortable colonoscopies could be on the cards following an upskilling training course at Forth Valley Royal Hospital.
Delivered by a national faculty of highly experienced endoscopists this highly sought-after hands-on training experience provided an excellent opportunity for our endoscopy teams to learn a range of new and improved techniques, including the use of water immersion.
The concept of water instead of air being used to distend the colon is recommended as water does not inflate the colon as much as air and allows the colonoscope to float through the twists and turns of the bowel. This has been proved to greatly reduce patient discomfort and decrease the need and quantity of analgesia required for the procedure.
The use of simple endoscopic attachments and accessories also helps to improve the detection and visualisation of polyps most commonly found in the colon. Polyps which start as small growths are often difficult to locate if awkwardly positioned lying behind folds within the lining of the colon so certain accessories aid detection and removal.
