Original ArticlesFactors affecting insertion time and patient discomfort during colonoscopy☆,☆☆
Section snippets
Patients and methods
Between April 1998 and March 1999, there were 991 colonoscopic examinations performed by a single endoscopist (W.H.K.) using a video colonoscope (CF 200I or CF 200L; Olympus Optical Co. Ltd., Tokyo, Japan). Eighty-two patients with obstructive disease of the colon or rectum were excluded from the analysis. Among 909 study patients who completed a questionnaire, colonoscopy could not be performed to the cecum in 33 cases (3.6%). A total of 876 patients who underwent complete colonoscopy—465 men
Indications for colonoscopy
Change in bowel habit, including diarrhea and constipation, was the most common indication (33.2%) for colonoscopy, followed by diagnosis and follow-up of neoplastic diseases (32.2%), abdominal pain (23.0%), thin stool caliber (18.9%), hematochezia (15.3%), screening (10.4%), inflammatory bowel disease (9.8%), tenesmus (9.0%), and family history of colonic disease (3.1%).
Completion rate and reasons for non-completion
Among 991 patients who underwent colonoscopy, 82 patients had obstructive diseases of the colon or rectum. Complete
Discussion
Most physicians and patients have a bias that colonoscopy is an invasive procedure that is always painful and distressing. Therefore, colonoscopy causes significant anxiety, not only for patients undergoing the procedure, but also for referring physicians. Indeed, some patients may experience substantial discomfort, but others may not. However, there is limited information as to how distressing this procedure is and the variables that relate to significant discomfort during the procedure.
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Reprint requests: Won Ho Kim, MD, Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 134 Shinchon-Dong, Seodaemun-Ku, Seoul, 120-752, Korea; fax (82)-2-393-6684; e-mail: [email protected].
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Gastrointest Endosc 2000;52:600-5.