What are colon polyps? These are benign neoplasms formed from the glandular epithelium and having a wide base or leg. The disease is mostly asymptomatic. Signs appear with an increase in the volume of polyps. This pathology occurs quite often. Most neoplasms are detected in the rectum and colon. To date, there is no consensus on the nature of their origin. Due to the high risk of degeneration into a malignant tumor, all intestinal growths are recommended to be removed.
Types of neoplasms in the intestines
Polyps in the intestines, photos of which are in the article, are:
- Hamartomatous - their appearance is associated with the pathology of the development of the glandular epithelium.
- Adenomatous - such neoplasms have a high degree of malignant transformation, so they are often called precancer.
- Hyperplastic - are small and most often located on the walls of the rectum.
- Villous - form the so-called "carpet" on the walls of the intestine. The probability of their degeneration into cancer is about 40 percent.
- Youthful local outgrowths - observed in children from three to six years old. They dissolve on their own and only in isolated cases turn into cancer.
Polyps are both single and multiple. The latter are located along the entire intestine or are combined into groups.
Signs of benign neoplasms in the intestines
At the very beginning of the disease, the symptoms of polyps in the intestines in women and men are not observed. As they grow, the individual is disturbed by:
- blood in feces;
- pain in the lower abdomen;
- constipation and diarrhea;
- frequent urge to defecate and discomfort during bowel movements.
If the above symptoms appear, you should consult a doctor.
Depending on the location of the polyps, the symptoms vary somewhat:
- In the duodenum - they are rare and do not make themselves felt for a long time. As the polyp grows, belching, a feeling of fullness in the stomach, nausea, and pain in the navel are observed. There is intestinal obstruction. Neoplasms block the intestinal lumen, as a result, food remains in the stomach, causing severe pain and vomiting.
- Polyps in the large intestine - colic occurs, mucus and blood in the stool.
- In a straight line - longtime does not show itself. There may be bleeding.
- In thin - rare. Complications - volvulus, intestinal obstruction, violation of the integrity of the walls. The pain is localized in the upper abdomen, there is heartburn, nausea, vomiting, a feeling of fullness in the stomach and cramping pain syndrome.
- In the sigmoid - regular constipation is replaced by diarrhea. Mucus and blood in the feces. Worried about belching and bloating.
Diagnosis
At the appointment, the doctor conducts a digital examination of the rectum. Already at this stage, affected areas in the walls of the intestine can be identified. This method is considered mandatory and allows you to study a section of the intestine with a length of ten centimeters. To make an accurate diagnosis, a laboratory and hardware study is shown. In the first case, for the purpose of early detection of intestinal polyps, a general and biochemical blood test is carried out (according to the results - low hemoglobin and the level of red blood cells) and feces for occult blood. In the second, they perform:
Irrigoscopy - a contrast agent is injected into the cavity of the large intestine and examined with an X-ray. It is used for difficulties in diagnosing polyps and is considered an additional method
- Sigmoidoscopy - an endoscopic research method is carried out using a video camera and a proctoscope. Examine the condition of the rectum. This manipulation allows you to select material for biopsy of intestinal polyps.
- Colonoscopy is the most effectivediagnostic method. With its help, they not only examine the intestinal mucosa, but also take material for a biopsy, and also remove neoplasms.
- MRI and CT - prescribed if necessary. Thanks to these types of studies, the place of attachment of the process is visible.
Differential diagnosis is not carried out, since when a polyp is detected, it must be removed.
Treatment of neoplasms in the intestines with medicines
How to treat intestinal polyps using pharmacotherapy? Unfortunately, no medicine can get rid of polyps. Conservative therapy is recommended only for symptomatic relief. Suitable for these purposes:
- Anspasmodics - relieve pain, which is a frequent companion of neoplasms. The reason for it lies in the overstretching of the intestinal loops with feces. The drug of choice is Drotaverine.
- Prokinetics like Duphalac reduce the rather painful bloating that comes from chronic constipation.
It is almost impossible to solve the problem with conservative methods, they need to be removed surgically. In some cases, with small formations, doctors adhere to expectant tactics. During the year, the neoplasm is observed. If no adverse changes have occurred, then the operation is not indicated. However, the individual is under dispensary observation and needs to undergo regular examinations.
How to treat polyps in the intestines when surgery cannot be used? This question is often asked by patientswho are contraindicated for surgery. In this case, physiotherapy and drug therapy are recommended. To improve intestinal and gastric motility, doctors prescribe "Motilium", "Ranitidine".
Polyps in the intestines: reviews
There are quite a lot of comments on the Internet about operations related to the removal of neoplasms in the intestines. Polypectomy patients report the following benefits:
- the procedure is painless, performed under local anesthesia;
- prevents cancer;
- operation is free and non-abdominal;
- well tolerated even in old age;
- no long recovery period;
- non-traumatic;
- minimum contraindications.
Among the disadvantages - the need to follow a diet, discomfort during the procedure.
With the help of colonoscopy, it is possible to thoroughly examine the intestinal walls and identify polyps in the intestine. Reviews of this manipulation contain the following information:
- Respiratory distress may occur when anesthesia is used.
- Pain after the procedure.
- Sometimes the temperature rises to 37 degrees.
- Stool disorder.
Individuals who have undergone this manipulation note that all unpleasant sensations pass quickly. The main thing is to follow the diet prescribed by the doctor. The right diet will help you recover faster and support your immune system.
Use of celandine for the treatment of polypsin the intestines
Folk healers have known this poisonous plant for a long time. It contains alkaloids; succinic, malic and citric acid; essential oils; tannins, vitamins and microelements. Due to the content of toxic alkaloids, drugs prepared on the basis of celandine grass do an excellent job with various benign tumors:
- Infusion - for enemas. Two teaspoons of herbs are poured with half a liter of boiled water. After thirty minutes, cool, filter and use for injection into the rectum. Do it daily for seven days. Next, a break for three days and you can repeat the manipulation.
- Tincture - taken orally. For its preparation, crushed dry raw materials are used. A container with a volume of five hundred milliliters is half filled with grass and forty percent ethanol or vodka is added so that the container is completely filled. Then, it is tightly corked and removed in a dark place, where the solution will be infused for twenty-five days.
After the allotted time, the tincture is ready for use. The reception scheme is as follows. Initially, two drops of the potion are dissolved in fifty milliliters of water. Further, the number of drops is increased daily, i.e., two are added and adjusted to the maximum dose, which is sixteen. This dosage is taken for thirty days. Then a ten-day break. No more than three such courses per year are allowed.
There are other recipes based on celandine. Don't forget that thispoisonous plant, use it with caution and only after consulting your doctor.
Other unconventional treatments
Practitioners are very cautious about the use of folk remedies in the treatment of polyps in the intestines. It is possible to recover at home only in the early stages of the disease. Therefore, a preliminary examination of the individual by a doctor is necessary. In the absence of contraindications, folk remedies will help activate the body's defenses to fight the disease:
- Kalina - a valuable chemical composition prevents the transformation of polyps into malignant tumors, and with prolonged use promotes their resorption. Both fresh berries are consumed, chewed slowly, and dried ones are brewed and drunk instead of tea. If desired, you can add honey.
- From spruce needles in the amount of thirty and hops - fifteen grams prepare a fragrant decoction at one time. Initially, needles are poured with a glass of boiling water, and after thirty minutes the hops are poured, brought to a boil and removed from the stove. Drink three times a day, one third. Before taking, cool and filter. After three days, take a six-day break. Three courses of treatment are recommended.
- Golden mustache - medicinal plant material in the amount of thirty grams is poured with half a liter of vodka. For infusion, which is carried out within two weeks, use a dark place. Take one dessert spoon daily. After a month, they take a break for ten days. Further, the course of treatment is repeatedintestinal polyps.
In the reviews of medical workers there are warnings that are especially relevant for those individuals who use folk recipes and healers' advice. They say that the ability of polyps to degenerate into cancer is very high, and especially in the colon. Therefore, one should not delay a visit to the doctor, hoping that herbs will cure neoplasms.
Indications and contraindications for surgery
Several years ago, operations to remove polyps in the intestines were performed only when they reached large sizes or there were many of them. In the process of studying this problem, it was found that polyps of a benign nature very quickly degenerate into malignant neoplasms, so surgical procedures were also performed when small formations were detected. Doctors recommend removing them when individuals show signs such as:
- deterioration of peristalsis and weakening of the bowels;
- internal bleeding causing severe pain;
- difficulty emptying;
- anemia;
- ulcerative lesions and wounds on the intestinal mucosa;
- appearance of blood and mucus in the feces;
- danger of colon obstruction.
Preparation for the operation begins two days in advance. During this period, liquid and light food should prevail in the diet. The patient cleanses the body of toxins, toxins and feces, using sorbents and laxative medicines recommendeddoctor. In some cases, it is allowed to use an enema. Dinner is canceled the day before, and even liquids are not allowed on the day of surgery.
There are also contraindications to surgical intervention. They are mainly associated with the presence of concomitant pathologies of the cardiovascular system, severe infection, diabetes mellitus, oncology, epilepsy, and inflammation in the colon.
Types of surgical interventions
How are colon polyps removed? There are several ways, they depend on the location and size of the polyp, the degree of intestinal damage, the severity of symptoms. Below are the different methods that are used when removing polyps:
- Polypectomy - performed under local anesthesia and only with benign tumors. An endoscope is inserted into the rectum, in which a special loop is placed and fixed at the base of the polyp. Further, it is tightened and a high-frequency current is applied, which leads to carbonization of the neoplasm. Further, it is removed and examined for histology. If necessary, electrocoagulation is carried out at the place of removal.
- With the help of a laser - used when large benign polyps are found in the intestine, what these formations are is described above, on broad bases or large legs. When carrying out such a manipulation, the surgeon does not have the opportunity to take the tissue of the neoplasm for analysis.
- Resection - performed in case of massive intestinal damage, an incision is made in the tissues of the peritoneum. If the tumor is located in the lower part of the intestine, the manipulation is carried outthrough the anus. The recovery period is long, complications often occur.
- Laparoscopy - is indicated when a benign neoplasm is detected, which is at least twenty millimeters in diameter. Manipulation is carried out through small incisions in the abdominal cavity. Special medical instruments and an endoscope equipped with a video camera are inserted into them. After such a minimally invasive operation, complications rarely occur. In addition, the recovery period is significantly shorter than after a radical resection.
- Laparotomy - the abdominal cavity is opened and the affected area of the intestine is removed. It is recommended for polyposis, when there is significant damage to the intestine and it cannot be removed by the laparoscopic method.
Now you know how to remove polyps in the intestines. Despite possible complications, individuals feel much better after the operation. Efficiency also depends on timely surgical intervention.
Post-operative period
After the removal of the polyp in the intestine comes the recovery period. During the first two years after the operation, individuals must undergo regular examinations (every four months), the purpose of which is to prevent the degeneration of growths into malignant ones, as well as to avoid reappearance. Rehabilitation will be successful if you follow simple rules:
- Don't overcool or overheat.
- Refuse to visit the solarium.
- Reduce time spent outdoorssun.
- It is forbidden to cancel the doctor's appointments on your own.
- Exclude all addictions - smoking, alcohol, drug use.
- Do not lift heavy objects or do strenuous physical activity as there is a high risk of internal bleeding.
- Keep inner peace.
- Avoid excessive fatigue, get more rest.
- Stay on a diet.
- Be sure to perform a set of exercises selected by a medical worker.
If the above recommendations are strictly followed, the risk of complications will be minimized.
Colonoscopy after removal of intestinal polyps is performed annually. If an individual during the rehabilitation period has a fever, swelling in the anus, nausea, vomiting, heaviness in the abdomen, pain, chills, and blood in the stool, then you should immediately visit a doctor. Such a clinical picture is typical for enterocolitis, perforation of the wall or the degeneration of polyps into a malignant tumor.
Preventive measures
Prevention of colon polyps is the reduction or elimination of factors that contribute to their appearance. To achieve these goals, a set of measures are being taken:
- Fight against constipation - this factor often accompanies the appearance of polyps. Normalization of the stool is considered one of the important preventive measures. To prevent themyou should reduce the use of sweets, flour products, sandwiches. Do not eat dry food and observe the daily routine. Other things to help prevent constipation include: increasing physical activity, eating foods high in potassium, avoiding the frequent use of laxatives and enemas.
- Treatment of chronic pathologies - growths never form in a he althy intestine. They contribute to the appearance of gastrointestinal diseases - proctitis, enteritis, hemorrhoids, colitis, Crohn's disease, colon dyskinesia. It is necessary to identify and treat them in a timely manner so that they do not become chronic.
- Change your diet - increase your fiber intake and reduce your calorie intake. The lack of dietary fiber inhibits the functioning of the intestines, slows down the process of removing processed bile from the body, which contributes to the formation of polyps, as well as their degeneration into malignant neoplasms. In addition, fiber acts as a sorbent and removes toxins and decay products from the body.
- Regular visits to the doctor and medical examinations - what are polyps in the intestines and what danger they pose, you now know. Therefore, after the age of forty, doctors recommend an annual test for occult blood in the feces. After fifty years, conduct an instrumental examination of the colon with a regularity of once every three or five years.
- Prevention of mineral and vitamin deficiencies - lack of vitamins such as A, C, E, D, B6, B2, and also selenium, folic acid and calcium provokesovergrowth of the rectal mucosa. Therefore, when compiling a diet, it is necessary to provide for the presence of all the necessary substances. If necessary, use vitamin-mineral complexes.
Conclusion
Now you know what colon polyps are. The true reason for their formation has not yet been identified. However, scientists have developed several theories that explain their formation. Provoking factors include a sedentary lifestyle, dietary errors, a tendency to constipation, tumors in the intestines, as well as hereditary predisposition.
