Colonoscopy & polypectomy

The single test that can both find colorectal cancer early and stop it from ever forming — done under sedation, usually in a day.

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Dr. Ritesh Anand · MBBS, MS (General Surgery), MCh (Surgical Gastroenterology) · Smiles Institute of Gastroenterology, Mathikere, Bengaluru · Reviewed 30 August 2026

At a glance

Setting: Day care — home the same day
Anaesthesia: Sedation; you sleep through it
Procedure time: 20–40 minutes
Back to work: Next day for most people
Prep: Clear-liquid day + bowel prep the evening before

Who this is for

Rectal bleeding that has not settled with treatment for piles
A bowel habit that changed and stayed changed for three weeks or more
Iron-deficiency anaemia with no other explanation
A positive FIT / stool test, or a family history of colorectal cancer or polyps
Routine screening from age 45 — earlier if a first-degree relative was affected

Almost every colorectal cancer begins as a benign polyp that sat quietly for years. A colonoscopy is the only test that lets us both see that polyp and remove it in the same sitting. That is the rare situation in medicine where a diagnostic test is also the cure.

What actually happens, step by step.

Before

You get written prep instructions and a phone number. Blood thinners, diabetes medication and heart conditions are planned for in advance, not discovered on the morning.

The prep

The prep is the hardest part and everyone says so. A clear-liquid day and a split-dose laxative. A clean colon is what makes the scope accurate, so we do not compromise on it.

The procedure

Sedation is given by an anaesthetist. The colon is examined to the caecum and the ileum is entered where indicated. Polyps are removed and sent for histopathology; suspicious areas are biopsied and tattooed.

Afterwards

You wake in recovery, eat, and go home with an escort. You see the images and the findings explained on the screen — not handed a report you cannot read.

The follow-up

Histopathology decides your surveillance interval. You leave with a date, not a vague instruction to 'repeat sometime'.

Recovery, honestly

Mild bloating and cramping for a few hours as air clears — this is normal.
Eat normally the same evening unless told otherwise.
No driving for 24 hours after sedation.
Contact us for heavy bleeding, severe pain or fever — uncommon, but it must be reviewed the same day.

Risks and limits

Bleeding after polyp removal — uncommon, usually settles, occasionally needs a repeat scope.
Perforation — rare, but real; it is why the operator's experience matters.
Missed lesions if the prep was poor — the reason we insist on the prep.
Sedation-related risks, minimised by anaesthetist-led assessment.

No outcome, cure rate or survival figure is promised on this page. Any clinician who promises one should be questioned.

Bring these to your appointment

Questions worth asking any surgeon — including me.

01Who performs my scope, and how many do they do?
02Will the polyp be removed at the same sitting, or will I need a second procedure?
03Was my caecum reached and photographed?
04When exactly is my next colonoscopy due, and why that interval?

Common questions

Does a colonoscopy hurt?

It is done under sedation, so you are asleep for it. Most people describe mild bloating afterwards and nothing else. The prep is harder than the procedure.

How long does a colonoscopy take?

The examination itself takes 20 to 40 minutes. Including admission, sedation and recovery, plan for around half a day and arrange someone to take you home.

At what age should I have my first colonoscopy?

Screening usually starts at 45, or ten years before the age at which a first-degree relative was diagnosed. Any age is the right age if you have persistent symptoms.

Next step

Send your reports first. The appointment then starts further ahead.

Colonoscopy report, biopsy, scans and any plan you have already been given. A written second opinion costs nothing and carries no obligation to change doctors.

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