Water-aided colonoscopy

Czech version

Authors: Přemysl Falt
Authors‘ workplace: Vzdělávací a výzkumný institut AGEL – Centrum péče o zažívací trakt, Vítkovická nemocnice a. s., Ostrava a Lékařská fakulta, Ostravská univerzita v Ostravě
Published in: Gastroent Hepatol 2014; 68(3): 194-201
Category: Digestive Endoscopy: Review Article

Overview

Water-aided colonoscopy is a safe, feasible and cheap alternative colonoscopy technique using water instillation instead of gas insufflation to distend the colonic lumen during colonoscope insertion. There are two modifications of water-aided colonoscopy. Water immersion indicates oral infusion of water for further passage and suction of residual fluid dominantly during withdrawal of the colonoscope. Water exchange indicates infusion of a large water volume and its simultaneous suction during colonoscope insertion. Compared to air insufflation, water-aided colonoscopy significantly and consistently reduces discomfort during unsedated and minimally sedated colonoscopy. According to several reports, water exchange is able to further reduce patient discomfort and probably even enhance adenoma detection.

Key words:
colorectal cancer – colonoscopy – discomfort – water

The author declares he has no potential conflicts of interest concerning drugs, products, or services used in the study.

The Editorial Board declares that the manuscript met the ICMJE „uniform requirements“ for biomedical papers.

Submitted:
12. 5. 2014

Accepted:
10. 6. 2014

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