Your doctor and team will discuss colonoscopy preparation with you. Preparation involves a clear liquid diet the day before the procedure. You will need to drink a prescribed liquid to clean out the colon. A cleansed colon ensures that your endoscopist has a clear view.

Our Adequate Preparation Rate, a key colonoscopy quality measure, exceeds national benchmarks. We help you achieve a clean colon by guiding you through your bowel prep, so we can see well and find abnormalities. While the national benchmark is 85%, our Adequate Preparation Rate at Stanford Health Care is 94%.

Most people are completely comfortable and not aware they are having a procedure. You will receive a sedative to help you relax and pain medication to prevent discomfort. You lie on your left side on the exam table with your knees drawn towards your chest. The endoscopist inserts a colonoscope (a thin, flexible tube with a camera attached) into the rectum and advances it carefully to view the inside of your entire large intestine. If needed, your doctor may use special tools to remove polyps or to biopsy abnormalities.

Our results exceed national benchmarks for all key colonoscopy quality measures, including:

• Thorough and complete exam: A complete exam requires advancing the scope all the way around to the cecum. While the national benchmark for a complete examination is 90% for all colonoscopies, our rate is 96%.
• Time a physician spends to inspect the colon wall: Finding polyps and small cancers requires taking the time to inspect the colon fully and carefully. While the national benchmark for time spent withdrawing the scope is 6 to 8 minutes minimum, our average withdrawal time is 15 minutes at Stanford Health Care.
• Polyp detection rate (called Adenoma Detection Rate (ADR)): ADR is the most important quality metric for colonoscopy. This rate calculates in how many people we find and remove polyps (adenomas) that could become cancer, whenever we do a screening colonoscopy. While the national ADR benchmark is to find adenomas in at least 25% of patients, our ADR is 44%.

Most people wake up and are surprised that the procedure is over. Because you are sedated during the procedure, someone must drive you home from the appointment and stay during recovery. You should rest for the remainder of the day. Do not drive or do anything strenuous, such as exercise. You may experience some bloating, mild cramping, and gas. These symptoms are normal and will diminish over time. Unless your doctor says otherwise, you can resume a normal diet after the procedure.

We work closely with other Stanford Health Care specialists in the GI Cancer Prevention Program, Interventional Radiology, and GI Cancer Program to provide seamless care if you need additional treatment. We are committed to providing you with innovative, comprehensive care.