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The 5‐year outcome of patients having incomplete colonoscopy
Author(s) -
Britton E. J.,
Sidhu S.,
Geraghty J.,
Psarelli E.,
Sarkar S.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
colorectal disease
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.029
H-Index - 89
eISSN - 1463-1318
pISSN - 1462-8910
DOI - 10.1111/codi.12901
Subject(s) - medicine , colonoscopy , colorectal cancer , barium enema , gastroenterology , general surgery , cancer
Aim Incomplete colonoscopy indicated for the detection of neoplasia occurs in 2−23% of patients, but there is little information on the long‐term outcome of such patients. Method All patients who underwent colonoscopy over 5 years at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital with a follow‐up of up to 5 years were identified. Results The risk of colorectal cancer ( CRC ) was 2.9% (312/10 580) for all patients undergoing colonoscopy. For a failed colonoscopy, the risk was five‐fold higher [14.3% (99/693)]. The mean age of the patients was 61 years and 58% were female. Following incomplete colonoscopy the risk of finding additional CRC , advanced colonic neoplasia and extracolonic neoplasia on subsequent investigation was 6.2%, 3.2% and 1.9%. The diagnostic yield on subsequent investigation for CRC or colonic polyps was 7% for repeat colonoscopy, 13.4% for computed tomography colonography, 10.3% for standard computed tomography and 1.8% for barium enema. In the 363 patients who were not offered a subsequent investigation, there was no further instance of CRC or CRC ‐related mortality over a 36‐month period. Conclusion Although the risk of CRC is higher in patients who have had a failed colonoscopy, a protocol approach of subsequent investigation should not replace clinical assessment on whether another test is necessary in the light of the good outcome of patients who were not subsequently investigated.