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Inadequate Bowel Prep May Invalidate Colonoscopy
Posted 29 Mar 2012 by Drugs.com
THURSDAY, March 29 – Doctors may fail to detect precancerous growths if patients' colons aren't adequately cleansed before having a colonoscopy, a new study warns. On the day before a colonoscopy, patients are instructed to stop eating solid food and to consume only clear liquids. They also drink bowel-cleansing mixtures to empty the colon. However, previous research suggests that up to one-quarter of colonoscopy patients fail to adequately cleanse their colons. The new study, from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, examined the potential consequences of poor bowel preparation. Researchers identified 373 patients who underwent a colonoscopy between 2004 and 2009, and had inadequate bowel preparation. Of the 133 patients who later had a second colonoscopy, nearly 34 percent had at least one precancerous growth detected in the repeat screening. Nearly one in five ... Read more
Related support groups: MiraLax, Colonoscopy, Dulcolax, Polyethylene Glycol 3350, Bisacodyl, MoviPrep, Bowel Preparation, Fleet Enema, Senokot, Senna, Suprep, TriLyte, GoLYTELY, HalfLytely and Bisacodyl, Correctol
Colon Cleansing Has No Health Benefit, May Harm: Report
Posted 1 Aug 2011 by Drugs.com
MONDAY, Aug. 1 – Despite the popularity of colon cleansing, there's no evidence that the procedure – which can be done at home or in day spas – offers any health benefits, a new study finds. However, colon cleansing can cause serious side effects ranging from vomiting to kidney failure and death, the authors of the report say. Colon cleansing – also called colonic irrigation or colonic hydrotherapy – often involves the use of chemicals followed by flushing the colon with water through a tube inserted in the rectum, explained the Georgetown University researchers. They analyzed 20 studies about colon cleansing that were published over the last decade and found little evidence that the procedure offers any benefits. Instead, a number of the studies noted side effects such as cramping, bloating, vomiting, electrolyte imbalance and kidney failure. The findings appear in the August ... Read more
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Proper Bowel Prep Key to Effective Colon Cancer Screening: Study
Posted 15 Jun 2011 by Drugs.com
WEDNESDAY, June 15 – Inadequate bowel-cleansing before a colonoscopy can result in high miss rates for precancerous polyps (adenomas) and a need for earlier repeat tests, a new study finds. "Our findings of a miss rate of 42 percent for all adenomas and 27 percent for advanced adenomas suggest that suboptimal bowel preparation has a substantial harmful impact on the effectiveness of colonoscopy, and follow-up examination within one year should be considered," said study lead author Dr. Benjamin Lebwohl of Columbia University Medical Center in New York City. Since colorectal cancer develops slowly over time, effective screening and early detection of the disease is key to a patient's survival. Colonoscopy screening enables doctors to identify and remove precancerous polyps (small growths in the colon) before they turn into cancer. In order for this procedure to be effective, however, ... Read more
Related support groups: Colonoscopy, Bowel Preparation
Health Tip: Preparing for Colonoscopy
Posted 9 Dec 2008 by Drugs.com
-- To examine your colon in a procedure called a colonoscopy, you must prepare by emptying the colon. The procedure enables your doctor to search for signs of cancer and other abnormalities affecting the large intestine. Your doctor will give you exact instructions, but in general, your diet should consist of clear liquids that do not contain artificial coloring. The U.S. National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse says the following foods generally are acceptable parts of a pre-colonoscopy diet: Fruit juice (strained with no pieces of fruit). Water. Plain, unsweetened tea or coffee. Diet soda. Broths that are fat-free. Gelatin. Read more
Related support groups: Bowel Preparation
Bowel Prep Harder on Women Than Men
Posted 16 Nov 2008 by Drugs.com
SUNDAY, Nov. 16 – Women may have a harder time prepping for colonoscopy than men, a new study suggests. Patients must empty their colon to increase the rate of success in the procedure, in which a doctor uses a flexible camera to search for polyps or lesions along the entire length of the colon. This poses problems for women, who are more likely to suffer constipation and/or irritable bowel syndrome, which can cause gas, bloating, and abdominal pain or spasm, according to a report in the November issue of Harvard Women's Health Watch. To help, the publication suggests: Receiving and completely reviewing your colonoscopy prep instructions well before the procedure date. They will require that certain medications and foods be stopped up to a week ahead of time. Block out time and arrange for privacy to complete the prep with as little stress as possible. Clear your schedule, be at home ... Read more
Related support groups: Bowel Preparation
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