Diagnosed Long Colon Than Usual. Found One Polyp. What Does This Indicate?

Posted on Wed, 10 Jul 2013

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Wed, 10 Jul 2013 Answered on

Mon, 29 Jul 2013 Last reviewed on

Question : Hello. I am 57 and had my first full colonoscopy in January 2010. At that time the doctor found just one small polyp and suggested I do another one in 3-4 years. He also said my colon was "longer than usual." I have no immediate relatives who have had any colon cancer. My mother's sister had it and did fine with surgery for removal of a few inches of her colon. My brother is also fine although he has had colitis symptoms off and on for 35 years since he was a teenager.
What does it mean to have a longer than normal colon, and how concerned do I need to be to have colonoscopies every 3-4 years? Thanks.

Answered by Dr. Abhijit Deshmukh (6 hours later)

Hello Mr XXXXXXX
Thank you for the query.
Longer colon than usual really means nothing, has no significance.
Some people may have a long redundant sigmoid or transverse colon (sub parts of colon) which have not much clinical significance.
Do not get concerned if you had only a small polyp and need not worry about results of colonoscopy after 3 years.
Hope this answers your query.
Best wishes.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Abhijit Deshmukh (15 minutes later)

Thank you, Dr. Deshmukh. Then in such circumstances how often is proper to be doing a colonscopy? In XXXXXXX they like to claim the need to do it every 4 or 5 years after the age of 50.

Answered by Dr. Abhijit Deshmukh (18 minutes later)

Hi
Thank you for the query.
Actually in presence of a polyp it is reasonable to do it once in 3 years but depends on size of polyp its histological type and whether it was removed completely.
Hope this answers your query,
Best wishes

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Abhijit Deshmukh (23 minutes later)

Thank you. He just called it a "small one" and he did remove it completely......

Answered by Dr. Abhijit Deshmukh (17 hours later)

Hello,
Thank you for the query.
With that description then once in 3 years should be reasonable.
Best wishes.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar