Colonoscopy: Preparation and Potential Complications

Abstract

Colonoscopy is a fairly common test that serves both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. It has been considered the gold standard in colorectal cancer screening for several years. Due to the nature of the examination, various types of complications may occur. The purpose of this analysis is to describe the various complications related to the period of preparation for colonoscopy among hospitalized patients, including life-threatening ones, in order to know how to avoid complications while preparing for a colonoscopy. We analyzed the nursing and medical reports of 9962 patients who were prepared for colonoscopy between 2005 and 2016. The frequency of various side effects associated with intensive bowel cleansing prior to colonoscopy was assessed. In justified cases, additional medical data were collected from patients, their families or from other doctors providing advice to patients after complications. Out of 9962 patients prepared for colonoscopy, 180 procedures were discontinued due to complications and side effects, and in these cases no colonoscopy was performed. The most common complications were: vomiting; epistaxis; loss of consciousness with head injury; abdominal pain; acute diarrhea; symptoms of choking; heart rhythm disturbances; dyspnea; fractures of limbs and hands; acute coronary syndrome; hypotension; hypertension; cerebral ischemia; severe blood glucose fluctuations; increased muscle contraction and allergic reactions. In addition to the documentation of our own research, several works of other research groups were also analyzed. Currently, the literature does not provide data on the frequency and type of complications in the preparation period for colonoscopy. The advantage of our work is the awareness of the possibility of serious complications and postulating the necessary identification of threats. Individualization of the recommended procedures and increased supervision of patients undergoing bowel cleansing procedure, we hope, will reduce the occurrence of complications and side effects.

The Effects of Combined Use of Linaclotide and Polyethylene Glycol Electrolyte Powder in Colonoscopy Preparation for Patients With Chronic Constipation

“…25,26 Nausea and vomiting, or even Mallory-Weiss syndrome, are the most frequent adverse reactions following the administration of a high dose of PEG. 27 We found that with less PEG volume, the patients' nausea was also relieved. The incidence rate of vomiting following administration of 3L and 2L PEG was significantly lower than that of 4L PEG.…”

The Clinical Application of Immunohistochemical Expression of Notch4 Protein in Patients with Colon Adenocarcinoma

“…With the increase in colorectal cancer screening, a significant reduction in the incidence of COAD has been observed; however, the mortality is expected to reach 60% by 2035 [ 5 ]. It should be noted that despite advances in currently available standard treatments, e.g., surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and immunotherapy, the 5-year overall survival (OS) of patients with COAD remains poor [ 5 , 6 ].…”

“…With the increase in colorectal cancer screening, a significant reduction in the incidence of COAD has been observed; however, the mortality is expected to reach 60% by 2035 [ 5 ]. It should be noted that despite advances in currently available standard treatments, e.g., surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and immunotherapy, the 5-year overall survival (OS) of patients with COAD remains poor [ 5 , 6 ]. Therefore, there is an urgent need for the development of novel biomarkers to improve the outcome of patients, allowing earlier therapeutic intervention and reducing the increasing burden of COAD [ 7 , 8 ].…”

The Prognostic Significance of Apoptotic Protease Activating Factor (Apaf-1) Protein Expression in Colon Adenocarcinoma Tissue-Preliminary Report

“…Factors that significantly influence the development of this type of malignancy include lifestyle, e.g., obesity, prolonged and frequent smoking, alcohol consumption and a diet low in fibre but rich in red meat. Other risk factors include the presence of chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), inadequate exposure to sunlight, including vitamin D3 deficiency, and genetically determined changes leading to colonic mucosal cell dysplasia [2][3][4]. It should also be noted that CRC is a highly invasive type of cancer and shows a high level of heterogeneity.…”