Retrieving a Colon Polyp
Here you can see a segement of video taken during a colonoscopy examination. The stalk of this large colon polyp has already been cut and cauterized with a wire snare. Now the problem is - how to get the polyp out. The risk of colon cancer in a polyp is directly proportional to its size. The bigger the polyp, the greater the risk of cancer cells within. With a relatively large polyp like this one, it is important to retrieve it so that a biopsy can be done. Smaller polyps can be retrieved by simply suctioning them through a large hollow channel within the colonoscope. But this polyp is too big for that. Here you see how we are able to capture a polyp using a handy little device called a Roth Retrieval Net. This a simple mesh basket that is placed over the polyp and closed - much like catching a butterfly. The head of the polyp can now be retrieved and sent to the lab for a biopsy. By detecting colon polyps and removing them in this fashion, colon cancer can usually be prevented. For more information about colon cancer prevention, click here.Best viewed via a broadband connection such as cable modem or DSL service. A 56K dialup modem may take up to 10 minutes to load. |
