Water Method Colonoscopy in Patients With Prior Surgery

Air Force Military Medical University of People's Liberation Army

Status: Completed

Conditions: Surgery; Intubation; Pain; Adenoma

Study type: Observational

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01485133

20111103-9

Details and patient eligibility

About

Water method with water exchange has been shown to reduce medication requirement and pain experienced during colonoscopy. It increases the success rate of cecal intubation in sedated and unsedated patients undergoing screening colonoscopy. Exchange of water during scope insertion minimizes distension of the colonic lumen and decreases loop formation. Exclusion of air from the colon during insertion by omission of air insufflations and suction removal of residual air prevent elongation of the colon. These maneuvers facilitate colonoscopy insertion in average patients and may enhance the success of difficult colonoscopy.

Prior abdominal or pelvic surgery is an independent factor for difficult colonoscopy, the probable adhesion may change the anatomy and increase the discomfort of patients. We postulate that these patients may benefit from using the water method for colonoscopy. In this proposal we test the hypothesis that compared with conventional air insufflations the water method with water exchange significantly enhances the success rate of cecal intubation in patients with prior abdominal or pelvic surgery.

The aim of the study is to compare the outcome of colonoscopy using the water method versus the conventional air method in patients with prior abdominal or pelvic surgery. The primary outcome is cecal intubation success rate. The secondary outcomes include cecal intubation time, maximum pain score during colonoscopy, overall pain score after colonoscopy and adenoma detection rate.

Enrollment: 110 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 80 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Patients with prior abdominal or pelvic surgery,

Exclusion criteria

• History of colorectal surgery
• Severe colonic stricture or obstructing tumor
• Patients who cannot give informed consent and those who are hemodynamically unstable

Trial design

110 participants in 2 patient groups

Air colonoscopy

Description:

Colonoscopy will be performed without medications and with judicious air insufflation during colonoscope insertion.

Water colonoscopy

Description:

Colonoscopy will be performed without medications and aided by water infusion in-lieu of air insufflation during insertion of the colonoscope. The water infusion involves putting warm sterile water into the colon to open up the colon for advancement of the colonoscope until the end of the colon (cecum) is reached. The water is delivered via a needle adaptor or the built-in scope irrigation channel by an infusion pump equipped with a foot switch which will be controlled by the endoscopist. Infused water used to cleanse residual fecal matter will be suctioned as needed to clear the colonic lumen.