Colonoscopy unit at Madurai GRH to reduce wait time for south TN patients

Madurai: Patients from southern districts of Tamil Nadu who need treatment for intestinal ulcers, rectal bleeding and intestinal polyps at Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH), Madurai may no longer have to wait for weeks, following the installation of a colonoscopy unit in the hospital’s general surgery department.The facility became operational on June 6. “Until now, the hospital had only one colonoscopy setup, located in the gastroenterology department at the super speciality block,” said V B Ganesh, professor and head of the general surgery department.A colonoscopy is a procedure in which a flexible tube fitted with a camera is inserted through the rectum to examine the large intestine. It is used to detect ulcers, bleeding, polyps and cancers of the colon and rectum.Patients referred from primary health centres and district hospitals, as well as those arriving directly at GRH with advanced symptoms, had to wait 15 to 20 days for procedures and surgeries linked to these conditions. With the new facility, the waiting period has come down to three or four days.“Apart from helping plan surgeries, the facility will strengthen early screening and diagnosis of colorectal cancers. Many patients mistake symptoms such as rectal bleeding for piles and seek medical attention only at an advanced stage, making treatment more challenging,” said Ganesh.His department has trained about 130 doctors in colonoscopy, including 15 postgraduate students and MS graduates who previously had little or no exposure to the procedure.