A flexible sigmoidoscopy is a diagnostic procedure used to detect colon cancer. During this procedure, a doctor inserts a long tube into the body via the anus and advances it to the colon. A camera is attached to the end of the tube that allows a physician to detect the presence of cancer-causing or cancerous polyps in the rectum and colon. To obtain the best results, the intestinal tract must be free of stool, therefore preparation treatments are used to clean the colon.
Talk with Your Doctor
When preparing for a flexible sigmoidoscopy, a physician should evaluate your medical history and any medication allergies to determine the best preparation treatment to be taken. Once a doctor selects a method, he or she should fully explain the treatment, provide any additional materials to take home and offer a phone number to call for further information when it is time to take the treatment.
It is important to ask your physician if there are any medications you should not take, as some may interfere with the procedure results.
Phospho-Soda Laxative
The most common flexible sigmoidoscopy preparation treatment, phospho-soda laxative, is available for purchase in most drug stores. About 24 hours before the procedure is to take place, you will begin only digesting a clear liquid diet, such as broth and juices. After four hours, you will take 3 tablespoons of the phospho-soda preparation, which is available in flavors such as cherry, grape and fruit punch, mixed with 4 ounces of water. Then, you drink three, 8-ounce glasses of clear liquid.
Four hours after this, take another dose, followed by another 8-ounce glass of clear liquids. This pattern is repeated until four hours before the exam, when you stop drinking liquids entirely.
Citrate of Magnesia
Some patients, including those who have suffered congestive heart failure or have renal insufficiency, take an alternate preparation known as citrate of magnesia. This laxative is consumed 20 hours before the exam. The laxative increases fluid in the small intestine, which in turn causes a bowel movement. A full glass of water should be consumed following taking the preparation to prevent dehydration.
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