Abstract

Background/Aims: A number of studies have reported wide variability in the colonoscope insertion time among patients who had prior abdominal surgery. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of abdominal surgery on colonoscope insertion time.

Methods: The subjects were 192 patients with prior abdominal surgery, among 3,600 patients who underwent a colonoscopy at Samsung Changwon Hospital from May 2008 to May 2010. We collected the following data: insertion time, age, gender, height, weight, BMI, waist circumference, method of abdominal surgery, and the degree of bowel cleanliness. Previous abdominal operations were divided into colectomy, non-colectomy abdominal surgery, pelvic surgery, and laparoscopic surgery groups.

Results: The average colonoscope insertion time in patients with prior abdominal surgery (7.73±5.95 min) was longer than that of the non-surgery group (6.4±3.88 min). Patients in the colectomy groups were older and had a shorter insertion time (5.11±3.32 min) than patients in the other groups.

Conclusions: Insertion of a colonoscope in patients with previous abdominal surgery was more difficult than that in the control group, except the colectomy group. (Korean J Gastrointest Endosc 2011;42:283-288)

• Keywords: Prior abdominal surgery, Colonoscopy insertion time