barium enema
What is a Barium Enema?
A barium enema is a test designed to demonstrate the large bowel. This is done by placing a tube into the rectum and running barium contrast into the bowel. Once the bowel wall is coated with contrast, air is introduced to inflate the bowel. This lets the specialist see the surface of the bowel wall, showing any abnormalities as well as possible. During the procedure, you will be asked to turn and roll into different positions, so as to demonstrate different sections of the large bowel as well as possible.
In order to see the bowel wall at its best, the bowel needs to be clean from food debris/faeces. This is done by following a 2-3 day preparation, the same as for a colonoscopy.
Diet preparation
The following diet must be followed, in conjunction with the bowel preparation, three days prior to your procedure.
Days 1 and 2 of your diet plan
Breakfast — You may have:
· refined cereal with milk - e.g. cornflakes, rice bubbles
· eggs, pancakes
· white toast/bread
· tea/coffee.
Lunch and dinner — You may have:
· any kind of meat
· fish, cheese, egg
· white pasta/rice/bread
· canned or cooked vegetables
· canned/cooked/fresh fruit without skins or seeds, ice-cream, custard.
Avoid:
· wholemeal, grain flour, bread and cereals (muesli, oats)
· dried fruit or nuts, fruit and vegetable skin and seeds, lentils or baked beans.
Day 3 of your diet plan (day before procedure)
You may only have clear fluids before and following your bowel preparation.
You may have:
· tea/coffee (no milk)
· clear soups
· bonox
· diet cordial/soft drink
· clear juice
· jelly (avoid red or purple drinks and jellies).
Warm fluids will help clear your bowel more quickly. You are encouraged to drink plenty of fluids during this time to prevent dehydration.
Bowel preparation
· You will receive two small packets of bowel preparation.
· drink clear fluids only
· at 2 pm dissolve the entire contents of one sachet of PICOPREP in a glass of warm water. Drink the first glass of preparation and you must follow this with plenty of clear fluids (at least 1 L) to prevent dehydration and to flush out your bowel (3-4 large glasses)
· at 6 pm dissolve the entire contents of your second sachet of PICOPREP in a glass of warm water. Drink the second glass of preparation and you must follow this with plenty of clear fluids (at least 1 L) to prevent dehydration and to flush out your bowel (3-4 large glasses)
· you must fast from midnight the night before your procedure (nothing to eat or drink) until you have your procedure.
A barium enema is a test designed to demonstrate the large bowel. This is done by placing a tube into the rectum and running barium contrast into the bowel. Once the bowel wall is coated with contrast, air is introduced to inflate the bowel. This lets the specialist see the surface of the bowel wall, showing any abnormalities as well as possible. During the procedure, you will be asked to turn and roll into different positions, so as to demonstrate different sections of the large bowel as well as possible.
In order to see the bowel wall at its best, the bowel needs to be clean from food debris/faeces. This is done by following a 2-3 day preparation, the same as for a colonoscopy.
Diet preparation
The following diet must be followed, in conjunction with the bowel preparation, three days prior to your procedure.
Days 1 and 2 of your diet plan
Breakfast — You may have:
· refined cereal with milk - e.g. cornflakes, rice bubbles
· eggs, pancakes
· white toast/bread
· tea/coffee.
Lunch and dinner — You may have:
· any kind of meat
· fish, cheese, egg
· white pasta/rice/bread
· canned or cooked vegetables
· canned/cooked/fresh fruit without skins or seeds, ice-cream, custard.
Avoid:
· wholemeal, grain flour, bread and cereals (muesli, oats)
· dried fruit or nuts, fruit and vegetable skin and seeds, lentils or baked beans.
Day 3 of your diet plan (day before procedure)
You may only have clear fluids before and following your bowel preparation.
You may have:
· tea/coffee (no milk)
· clear soups
· bonox
· diet cordial/soft drink
· clear juice
· jelly (avoid red or purple drinks and jellies).
Warm fluids will help clear your bowel more quickly. You are encouraged to drink plenty of fluids during this time to prevent dehydration.
Bowel preparation
· You will receive two small packets of bowel preparation.
· drink clear fluids only
· at 2 pm dissolve the entire contents of one sachet of PICOPREP in a glass of warm water. Drink the first glass of preparation and you must follow this with plenty of clear fluids (at least 1 L) to prevent dehydration and to flush out your bowel (3-4 large glasses)
· at 6 pm dissolve the entire contents of your second sachet of PICOPREP in a glass of warm water. Drink the second glass of preparation and you must follow this with plenty of clear fluids (at least 1 L) to prevent dehydration and to flush out your bowel (3-4 large glasses)
· you must fast from midnight the night before your procedure (nothing to eat or drink) until you have your procedure.