Polyps diagnosis & treatment means finding colon polyps at colonoscopy and removing them in the same test. Polyps are small growths on the lining of the large bowel; most are harmless, but a few can turn cancerous over many years. Consultant gastroenterologist Dr Ganesh Sivaji offers polyps diagnosis and treatment in Harrogate and plans any check-ups by national guidance.
What Are Colon Polyps?
Polyps are small bumps thought to form when the bowel lining makes too many cells. They grow in the colon or rectum, are also called colonic or colorectal polyps, and around 1 in 4 people over 50 has at least one.
Most stay harmless. Guidance from the British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG) explains that bowel cancer usually develops from polyps, slowly, which is why specialists take them out when they find them. Symptoms of bowel cancer and how it is tested for are on the colon cancer diagnosis page.
Bleeding or Pain After Polyp Removal: When to Get Urgent Help
| What you notice | Where to turn |
|---|---|
| Non-stop bleeding from your bottom, red toilet water or large blood clots | Phone 999 or go straight to A&E |
| Bleeding after polyp removal that carries on or gets heavier | Call the hospital where you had the test, or NHS 111 |
| Severe or worsening tummy pain in the days after the test | Call the hospital or NHS 111 |
| A high temperature, or feeling hot, cold or shivery | Call the hospital or NHS 111 |
| Poo that is black or dark red, or bloody diarrhoea | Ask your GP for an urgent appointment, or use NHS 111 |
| Mucus or blood in your poo lasting 3 weeks or longer, or weight loss without trying | Routine GP appointment or a consultation |
A small amount of blood for a couple of days after removal is common and usually stops on its own. The NHS page on bowel polyps sets out the same steps.
Types of Polyps Dr Sivaji Treats
The laboratory report names the type, and that guides what happens next:
- Adenomas: premalignant (pre-cancerous) polyps, which UK guidance uses to plan follow-up.
- Serrated polyps: a second premalignant group, assessed in the same way.
- Polyps of 10 mm or more: size alone can place a polyp in the higher-risk group.
- Polyps with dysplasia: cells that look abnormal under the microscope; the grade affects the risk.
- Several polyps at once: 5 or more premalignant polyps changes the follow-up plan.
- Polyps alongside Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis: inflammatory bowel disease makes polyps more likely.
- Polyps found by screening or a scan: after a positive FIT or CT colonography, they are removed at colonoscopy.
- Inherited polyp conditions: families with conditions such as FAP follow separate national guidance.
Treatment Options for Bowel Polyps
Most polyps are dealt with in one step, but you have choices, and Dr Sivaji goes through them with you.
Polypectomy at Colonoscopy
A wire loop on the colonoscope snares or burns off the polyp, and you do not feel it being removed. This is how most polyps are treated.
Close Inspection Before Removal
Narrow-band imaging and magnification give Dr Sivaji a sharper view of the polyp’s surface, helping him judge its type and risk before taking it out.
Surgery for Large or Numerous Polyps
Rarely, when a polyp is very large or there are many, part of the bowel needs removing. A colorectal surgeon carries this out, and Dr Sivaji arranges the referral.
Scan-Only Assessment
CT colonography can show polyps without a camera test, but it cannot remove them, so a colonoscopy usually follows if one is seen.
Choosing Not to Have a Polyp Removed
You can decline removal. Because a small number of polyps become cancerous over many years, he explains what leaving one could mean for you before you decide.
Why Patients See Dr Sivaji About Polyps
- Found and treated in one test: he spots, assesses and removes polyps during the same colonoscopy, so most people need only one procedure.
- A closer look: enhanced imaging helps him judge each polyp before removal.
- He teaches the skill: besides his own lists, he trains other endoscopists.
- A written plan: once the laboratory report is back, you know whether and when to return.
- Consultant credentials: FRCP and full BSG member; he took up his consultant post with the Harrogate NHS trust in 2010.
Find out more about Dr Sivaji and his approach to explaining results.
What Happens When a Polyp Is Removed
Polyp removal takes place during a colonoscopy, so the bowel preparation and the day itself are as described on the private colonoscopy page.
- Before the test: tell the team about blood thinners or diabetes medicines, as these may need adjusting.
- Finding the polyp: Dr Sivaji notes its size, shape and position and looks at it closely.
- Removal: a snare (wire loop) cuts it off, or heat seals and removes it.
- To the laboratory: the polyp is retrieved and sent for testing.
- Before you leave: he tells you how many polyps were removed and gives you a written report.
The laboratory checks whether the polyp came out completely, whether it may regrow and whether it shows any cancerous change. If it does, Dr Sivaji explains the findings and arranges further treatment with the right specialist team.
Recovery and Risks After Polyp Removal
Most people go home the same day once the nurses are happy, with the usual 24-hour rules after sedation.
- Cramps or tenderness: wind pain eases within a few hours; the area where tissue was taken can feel tender for a little longer.
- Light bleeding: a small amount for a couple of days is expected.
- Heavy or continuing bleeding: uncommon, but contact the hospital or NHS 111 straight away.
- Perforation: a small tear in the bowel wall is very rare and would likely need surgery to repair.
- Sedation reactions: rare, and treated in the unit.
Your own risk depends on the number, size and position of polyps, and Dr Sivaji discusses it before you consent.
Surveillance Colonoscopy: Will You Need Another Test?
Not always. The BSG guidelines, written in 2020 with colorectal surgeons and Public Health England, aim check-up colonoscopies at the people who benefit:
- Higher-risk findings: 2 or more premalignant polyps including a larger or higher-risk one, or 5 or more premalignant polyps. This group usually has one check-up colonoscopy at 3 years.
- Lower-risk findings: often no surveillance at all; instead, take part in NHS bowel cancer screening when invited (ages 50 to 74, every 2 years).
- Around 75 and over: surveillance usually stops, as test risks rise with age and a new polyp usually takes at least ten years to become high risk.
Once your results are back, Dr Sivaji explains which group you fall into and puts the plan in writing, so you know whether a further test is due.
Where Dr Sivaji Sees Patients for Polyp Care
Consultations about polyps take place at two Harrogate locations. The polyp removal itself happens in the hospital endoscopy unit named when your colonoscopy is booked.
| Clinic | Where to find it |
|---|---|
| The Duchy Hospital, part of Circle Health Group | Queen’s Road, Harrogate HG2 0HF |
| Harrogate Harlow | Harrogate |
Sessions run in the evening and the morning, and your time is confirmed with you. If you feel unwell after polyp removal outside clinic hours, contact NHS 111.
Polyp Removal Fees and Insurance
The cost depends on how many polyps are removed and on the laboratory analysis, so ask what your quote covers. A written 2026 quote is provided before anything is booked.
| Item | Pricing |
|---|---|
| First consultation | Fee given at booking |
| Colonoscopy with polyp removal | Quoted before the procedure |
| Check-up colonoscopy, if advised | Quoted when it is due |
- Insured patients: plans from BUPA, AXA, Vitality, Aviva and most other large insurers are accepted, and the team helps with claims where possible; ask your insurer to authorise polyp removal as well as the colonoscopy.
- Self-funding: you are told the full fee before the appointment.
FAQs About Colon Polyps
What are colon polyps?
Small growths on the lining of the colon or rectum. They are very common after 50 and most are harmless, but a small number can become cancerous over many years, so doctors usually remove them.
Are bowel polyps cancerous?
Usually not, and most never become cancer. Adenomas and serrated polyps are called premalignant because they can change slowly. The laboratory report shows whether any cancerous change was present in yours.
Do polyps cause symptoms?
Most cause none and are found by chance. Larger ones occasionally cause mucus or blood in your poo, bleeding from the bottom, a change in bowel habit or weight loss, which should always be checked.
How are polyps removed?
During a colonoscopy, a wire loop passed through the scope snares or burns off the polyp; this is called a polypectomy. Rarely, very large or numerous polyps need an operation to remove part of the bowel.
Does polyp removal hurt?
You should not feel the polyp being taken. The colonoscopy can be uncomfortable, and some people have cramps or mild tenderness afterwards that eases within hours.
How long do polyp results take?
A pathologist examines the polyp in the laboratory. Dr Sivaji tells you when to expect the report, then explains it in plain language along with whether you need a check-up colonoscopy.
Will I need another colonoscopy?
Only some people do. Under BSG guidance, those with higher-risk findings usually have one check-up colonoscopy after 3 years, while others return to NHS bowel cancer screening when invited.
Can polyps come back?
A removed polyp can occasionally regrow, which the laboratory checks for, and new polyps can form elsewhere in some people. That is why check-ups are focused on those most at risk.
What raises the risk of bowel polyps?
Being over 50, a family history of polyps or bowel cancer, Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, being overweight and smoking. The NHS says around 1 in 4 people over 50 has at least one polyp.
What is the difference between a polyp and bowel cancer?
A polyp is a growth on the bowel lining that is usually not cancerous. Bowel cancer usually develops from a polyp, and a new small polyp generally takes at least ten years to become high risk.
Book a Consultation with Dr Sivaji About Bowel Polyps
If you have been told you have a polyp, need a check-up colonoscopy or want polyps diagnosis and treatment after a positive FIT result, Dr Sivaji can see you without a GP referral.
- Request a time: use Book a Consultation to send your details.
- Send a question: the contact form reaches the practice team.
- Bring with you: photo ID, insurance details, any earlier colonoscopy or laboratory reports and a list of your medicines.
Heavy bleeding from the bottom, especially with clots, needs 999 or A&E rather than a clinic appointment. NHS 111 can advise when the practice is closed.
At a glance
What are they?
Growths on the bowel lining, usually harmless
Do they cause symptoms?
Usually not; larger ones occasionally bleed or produce mucus
How are they found?
At colonoscopy, on CT colonography or after a positive FIT
How are they removed?
With a wire loop during colonoscopy (polypectomy)
What happens to the polyp?
It goes to a laboratory for checks
Will I need a check-up colonoscopy?
Decided by BSG 2020 guidance; many people need none
Book this treatment
Same-week appointments available. Our coordinator confirms within 2 hours.