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Contents
  • Why is a Colonoscopy Recommended?
  • What Happens During a Colonoscopy?
  • What Can the Results Tell You?
  • Is It Always Necessary?

Colonoscopy After Diverticulitis: Why It's More Than Just a Routine Check

Colonoscopy After Diverticulitis: Why It's More Than Just a Routine Check

Beyond the Scope

If you've had diverticulitis, your doctor might recommend a colonoscopy. This isn't just a routine check - it's a crucial step in your care that can provide important insights about your condition.
Contents
  • Why is a Colonoscopy Recommended?
  • What Happens During a Colonoscopy?
  • What Can the Results Tell You?
  • Is It Always Necessary?

Why is a Colonoscopy Recommended?

After recovering from diverticulitis, a colonoscopy is typically recommended to examine your colon more closely. This procedure allows doctors to assess the extent of diverticular disease and, importantly, to rule out other conditions like colon cancer. It's usually done about 6-8 weeks after your symptoms have resolved.

What Happens During a Colonoscopy?

During a colonoscopy, a long, flexible tube with a tiny camera is inserted into your rectum to examine your entire colon. You'll be sedated for comfort. The doctor can see the inside of your colon on a screen, looking for diverticula (the small pouches), signs of inflammation, and any other abnormalities. If necessary, they can take small tissue samples (biopsies) for further testing.
A colonoscopy performed after recovering from diverticulitis to assess the colon, identify diverticular disease, and rule out other conditions such as colon cancer.

What Can the Results Tell You?

The colonoscopy can provide valuable information about your condition. It can show how extensive your diverticular disease is and whether there are any complications like narrowing of the colon. Importantly, it can also detect other conditions that might have similar symptoms to diverticulitis, such as inflammatory bowel disease or, in rare cases, colon cancer.

Is It Always Necessary?

While guidelines generally recommend a colonoscopy after diverticulitis, there's some debate about whether it's always needed, especially for younger patients with uncomplicated cases. However, many doctors prefer to err on the side of caution. If you've had a colonoscopy within the past year, you might not need another one. Always discuss the pros and cons with your doctor.

FAQs

Is a colonoscopy painful?

No, you'll be sedated and shouldn't feel pain during the procedure.

How long does a colonoscopy take?

The procedure itself usually takes about 30-60 minutes.

How do I prepare for a colonoscopy?

You'll need to clean out your colon, usually with special laxatives.

Are there risks to having a colonoscopy?

While generally safe, there are small risks like bleeding or perforation.

What if the colonoscopy finds something?

Your doctor will discuss any findings and next steps with you.

The Bottom Line

A colonoscopy after diverticulitis is an important tool that can provide crucial information about your digestive health and guide your future care.
Concerned about your upcoming colonoscopy? Chat with Doctronic to learn more about what to expect and how to prepare.
Additional References
  1. Sharma PV, Eglinton T, Hider P, Frizelle F. Systematic review and meta-analysis of the role of routine colonic evaluation after radiologically confirmed acute diverticulitis. Ann Surg 2014; 259:263.
  2. Rottier SJ, van Dijk ST, van Geloven AAW, et al. Meta-analysis of the role of colonoscopy after an episode of left-sided acute diverticulitis. Br J Surg 2019; 106:988.
  3. Hall J, Hardiman K, Lee S, et al. The American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Treatment of Left-Sided Colonic Diverticulitis. Dis Colon Rectum 2020; 63:728.
This article has been reviewed for accuracy by one of the licensed medical doctors working for Doctronic.