BATON ROUGE — The Ochsner Medical Complex on The Grove Boulevard opened a 20-foot-long walk-through "Colossal Colon" on Monday. 

The inflated model allowed visitors to explore a colon from the inside while learning about how to detect early signs of colorectal cancer. 

Louisiana ranks fifth in the United States for colorectal cancer deaths, according to a 2024 study by the Louisiana Department of Health. 

LDH says regular screenings are one of the most important ways to prevent or detect colorectal cancer early.