Background and Identification
By definition, insufflation is the act of blowing a substance (air, powder, gas, vapor) into a body cavity. Colon insufflation is just as it sounds, and colon insufflators help administer substances into the colon.
Colon insufflators are generally used to explore and diagnose problems in the colon (large intestine) during a colonoscopy. Although some studies have shown the effectiveness of using regular (room) air, newer machines that use carbon dioxide (CO2) have shown better results. Patients who have used CO2 insufflators have reported decreased symptoms of abdominal pain or discomfort during the procedure.