Willamette General & Colon-Rectal Surgery, PC
YOU CAN COUNT ON US
Trust Board Certified Colorectal Surgeon Dr. Brent Evetts for outstanding colonoscopy expertise.
Dr. Evetts carefully performs over 500 colonoscopies a year. He excels at both diagnostic colonoscopy and screening colonoscopy.
A diagnostic colonoscopy is performed for symptoms such as a change in bowel movements, rectal bleeding or abdominal pain.
For high risk patients (those with a personal or family history of colon cancer and/or colon polyps) colonoscopy is often considered diagnostic in these situations as well.
A screening colonoscopy is performed on a patient of screening age to find colon polyps or colon cancer. Current guidelines recommend that the age for screening colonoscopy begin at 50 (45 for African Americans) for people of average risk.
Dr. Evetts and his highly qualified staff are dedicated to your peace of mind throughout the colonoscopy procedure. They take every measure to insure your care and privacy and eliminate any reason to be nervous or embarrassed.
We encourage those who have been avoiding a colonoscopy to schedule one with Dr. Evetts now. We make this exam as easy and convenient as possible.
For better health and to put your mind at ease, call us at (503) 691-1743, or schedule your appointment by clicking here.
PREVENT COLON CANCER
Call us at (503) 691-1743 to schedule your screening appointment. Or fill out the “Talk to Us” form on the Contact Us Page.
March is Colon Cancer Awareness Month!
Every March, healthcare providers across America promote awareness about Colorectal Cancer and encourage people to get screened. Why do we need to raise awareness of Colorectal Cancer?
You are at risk if you:
- Colorectal Cancer is the #2 cause of cancer death in the U.S.
- Over 150,000 Americans will be diagnosed with Colorectal Cancer each year
- Colorectal Cancer often has no symptoms at all until it’s at an advanced stage
- Colorectal Cancer is 80% preventable when detected early
- You can reduce your risk through regular screening
- Beginning at age 50 (or earlier if you have a family history) everyone should be screened for Colorectal Cancer
- Are at an age greater than 50
- Have a personal/family history of colon/rectal cancer or colon polyps
- Have a history of ulcerative colitis
- Inherited colon cancer syndrome
Frequently Asked Questions
Trust Dr. Evetts to answer the most-asked questions about colonoscopy.
What is a colonoscopy?
A colonoscopy is an exam that allows a doctor to closely look at the inside of the entire colon for signs of cancer or polyps. Polyps are small growths that over time can become cancer.
The doctor uses a slender, flexible, hollow, lighted tube about the thickness of a finger. This “colonoscope” is gently eased inside the colon and has a tiny video camera which sends pictures to a TV screen. Small puffs of air are introduced in the colon to keep it open and allow the doctor to see clearly.
Most colonoscopies are done on an outpatient basis with minimal inconvenience and discomfort.
Who should have a colonoscopy?
A colonoscopy is routinely recommended to adults 50 years of age or older as part of a Colorectal Cancer Screening Program. Patients with a family history of colon or rectal cancer may have their colonoscopy at age 40.
You may also need a colonoscopy if you have a change in bowel habits or bleeding, which may indicate you have a possible problem in the colon or rectum.
A colonoscopy may be necessary to:
- Check unexplained abdominal symptoms
- Check inflammatory bowel disease
- Verify findings of polyps or tumors located with a barium enema exam
- Examine patients who test positive for blood in the stool
- Monitor patients with a personal or family history of colon polyps/cancer
How is a colonoscopy performed?
The bowel must first be thoroughly cleared of all residue before a colonoscopy. This is done one day prior to the exam with a bowel preparation given by your physician.
Many patients receive intravenous sedation for this procedure. The colonoscope is inserted into the rectum and is advanced to the portion of the colon where the small intestine joins the colon.
During a complete examination of the bowel your physician will remove polyps or take biopsies as necessary.
The entire procedure usually takes less than an hour. Following the colonoscopy, there may be slight discomfort which quickly improves with the expelling of gas. Most patients can resume their regular diet and activities the same day.
What are the benefits of a colonoscopy?
A colonoscopy is more accurate than an x-ray exam of the colon to detect polyps or early cancer. With colonoscopy, it is now possible to detect and remove most polyps without abdominal surgery. Removing polyps is an important step in the prevention of colon cancer.
What are the risks of a colonoscopy?
A colonoscopy is a very safe procedure with complications occurring in less than 1% of patients. These risks include bleeding, a tear in the intestine, risks of anesthesia, and failure to detect a polyp.
See how the colonoscopy is performed.
To see a video explaining how a colonoscopy is performed, click here.
Colonoscopy preparation instructions.
Call our office for instructions: 503-691-1743.
Do you like easy? Then this colonoscopy is for you!
Our Easy Access Colonoscopy Program is designed to accommodate patients seeking colon screening but who want to bypass the initial consultation and proceed directly to the exam.
These select patients must be in excellent health and under the care of a primary care physician.
Who may be eligible for the Easy Access Colonoscopy?
- Adults 50 years of age or greater in excellent or stable health
- Adults 40 years of age or greater in excellent or stable health, with a prior history of colon polyps or cancer
- Adults 40 years of age or greater in excellent or stable health, with a first degree relative (parent, sibling, child) previously diagnosed with colon cancer or colon polyps
Don’t want to disrupt your week? Get your colonoscopy on Saturday!
Our Saturday colonoscopy is offered to patients who don’t want to take time off from their busy week. With this colonoscopy, you do the bowel preparation on Friday afternoon or evening and have your colonoscopy on Saturday morning.
This service gives you time to relax and recover for most of the weekend.
Who is NOT eligible for the Easy Access Colonoscopy?
- Individuals experiencing intra-abdominal or gastrointestinal symptoms (this program does not allocate enough patient/physician interaction time to fully evaluate these problems–consultations better serve this purpose)
- Individuals who, based upon their application, are felt to be of greater than average risk or too medically complex to bypass a face-to-face-consultation
Getting started for an Easy Access Colonoscopy is easy!
Just call our office at (503) 691-1743. Or fax your request to us at (503) 691-0983.
Or, if you would like our office to contact you to get the Easy Access Colonoscopy Program started, please go to the Contact Us Page and fill out the “Talk to Us” form. We will contact you shortly!
I'm interested...what should I do?
- You will need to complete a patient registration form and a medical history questionnaire
- You will have to wait a few days for our physician to review your medical history
- We will contact you to ask or answer any additional questions, and schedule your exam
- You will need to read/download our bowel prep instructions prior to your scheduled exam. To download, click here