Colonoscopes are used for used for the removal of foreign bodies, excision of tumors or colorectal polyps (polypectomy), and control of hemorrhage. Routine colonoscopy is important in diagnosing intestinal cancer. These endoscopic procedures reduce the need for invasive surgical diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.
Video colonoscope insertion tubes contains a fiberoptic light bundle, which transmits light from the light source to the tip of the endoscope. Each fiberoptic bundle consists of thousands of individual glass fibers coated with glass causing internal reflections that allow light transmission through the fiber even when it is flexed. The light is used to illuminate the field of view in the patient's colon. Video images are detected by the charge-coupled device(CCD) and are then transmitted to the video processor and then display monitors or recording devices.