A colonoscopy is a safe, private and usually painless procedure that takes about 30 minutes to complete. A colonoscopy may be done in a hospital outpatient department, clinic or in a doctor’s office.

During the procedure, a general surgeon or gastroenterologist (a doctor who specializes in identifying and treating gastrointestinal diseases) uses a colonoscope to see the entire colon. A colonoscope is a long, flexible tube. If a polyp is found, the doctor may remove it during your colonoscopy.

During your colonoscopy, the doctor may use the colonoscope to take a biopsy – a small tissue sample – if anything looks abnormal. The tissue sample will be sent to the lab for further testing.