



During the procedure, air will be used to open up your intestine so the doctor can see it clearly. SigmoidoscopyĪ sigmoidoscopy lets a doctor check just the sigmoid part of your intestine, using a slender tube with a light source and camera attached to it. The doctor can see the lining of your colon on a screen in the examining room. A thin, flexible tube with a tiny camera on it is inserted into your anus. What tests are done to assess the sigmoid colon? ColonoscopyĬolonoscopies allow your doctor to check the health of your colon. Doctors can often repair the damaged part of the baby’s bowel. It’s really important to respond quickly if these symptoms occur, because this condition can be life-threatening. They can also have dark or red bowel movements. This condition can cause blockage and blood supply to be cut off.īabies who have this condition will have pain, belly bloating, nausea, and vomiting. Volvulus is a problem with the way a baby’s intestines are formed, resulting in a section of intestine twisting or folding over on itself. These complications can be dangerous, so if you develop a fever, start vomiting, or feel tender in your abdominal region, get to a doctor for help. They can form abscesses, tear open, and leak pus or blood into other parts of your body. Most of the time diverticula don’t cause any symptoms at all, but they can occasionally become painful and problematic.ĭiverticula can become blocked. Diverticular diseaseĭiverticula are small balloon-like sacs that push outward through weak spots in your intestinal wall. They can be stitched, glued, drained, and treated effectively with antibiotics, so get help if you suspect you may have developed one. It’s possible to repair or treat fistulas to keep them from causing you serious problems. Gastrointestinal fistulae can lead to sepsis, an extremely dangerous systemic infection. These openings usually occur after you’ve had surgery or a procedure in your abdominal area.įistulae may also develop if you’ve had an inflammatory bowel disease like Crohn’s for a long time. FistulaeĪ gastrointestinal fistula is an opening in your bowel that allows gastric fluid to leak into other parts of your body. Most of the time, Crohn’s disease affects the upper gastrointestinal tract, but it can occur anywhere, including the sigmoid colon.Ĭrohn’s disease can lead to infections in your intestines and in other parts of your body, and it can become life-threatening for some people, so it’s important to talk to a doctor and start treatments early to prevent severe complications from happening. Like ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease causes inflammation, swelling, and pain in the intestinal tract. If you’re concerned about ulcerative colitis, a gastroenterologist might be able to help diagnose your symptoms. Jewish people are also at higher risk for developing ulcerative colitis. It’s a long-term disease, but people who have it may experience periods of remission where they feel no symptoms whatsoever.Īccording to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, you may be at higher risk for ulcerative colitis if you eat a high-fat diet, if the disease seems to run in your family, or if your intestinal immune system is overly sensitive. This disease causes open sores to form inside the intestinal tract, causing pain that can be severe at times. The cancerous cells can spread from the inner layers of the colon through the walls of the organ and eventually into the blood vessels and lymph system, if left untreated.Įarly diagnosis improves your chances for recovery, so it’s a good idea to get regular colon screenings, especially if you have any of the risk factors or symptoms. The American Cancer Society reports that colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in the United States, with more than 145,000 new cases expected to be diagnosed this year.Ĭolon cancer occurs when abnormal cells develop inside the colon, usually in polyps. It’s important to have a colonoscopy to find and remove polyps because they can get bigger over time, and the larger the polyp, the more likely it is to become cancerous. Smoking and being overweight also increase your risk. Anyone can get them, but they are more likely to form as you get older.

Polyps are lumps of tissue in the colon, most of which are not cancerous. What sigmoid colon problems can arise? Polyps
