Study: Adequate Bowel Prep Leads to More Successful Colonoscopies

A study by physicians at the VA Medical Center in Phoenix, Ariz., found that inadequate bowel preparations for colonoscopy lead to the need for follow-up examinations 17.1 months earlier than average, according to a news release from the American College of Gastroenterology.

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The findings come at a time when clinicians are evaluating new bowel preparation solutions to replace the popular over-the-counter phosphosoda formulations recently withdrawn from the market, according to the release.

“Endoscopists’ ability to detect colonic legions, especially the flat or depressed ones, is greatly linked to the quality of bowel preparation. For years, we have emphasized the importance of adequate bowel preparation for patients to help ensure the detection of adenomas during colonoscopy, especially on the right side of the colon,” Veronika Karasek, MD, one of the researchers in the study, said in the release. “This new finding suggests that endoscopists are taking into consideration the quality of preparation when recommending a follow-up interval, regardless of the findings of the examination.”

In light of these findings, other gastroenterologists are evaluating new bowel prep solutions for colonoscopy. Polyethylene Glycol plus ascorbic acid (Moviprep) and a new oral sulfate solution (SUPREP) have been researched in two studies. Moviprep was found to be excellent or good for colonoscopy prep in 92 percent of patients, and 71 percent of physicians performing colonoscopy on patients receiving SUPREP rate it as excellent.

Read the release about the importance of effective bowel preparation for colonoscopy (pdf). 

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