title: The effectiveness of simethicone in improving visibility during colonoscopy: a double-blind randomized study.
abstract: The effect of simethicone in improving visibility during colonoscopy was randomly studied in 97 patients receiving either simethicone (N = 49) or placebo (N = 48) in a colon lavage solution. Visibility was assessed by the amount of bubbles and the degree of haziness noted during colonoscopy. The degree of bubbles was scored on a scale of 0 to 3, and haziness was scored on a scale of 0 to 2. Patients receiving simethicone had significantly less bubbles (p less than 0.001) and less haziness (p less than 0.01) in the colon when compared to placebo-treated patients. These data indicate that the addition of simethicone to the colonic lavage solution results in improved colonic visibility and may result in technically easier and more accurate colonoscopy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, DC.
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: McNally
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Maydonovitch
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Wong
mesh_terms: D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003113:Colonoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004573:Electrolytes; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D011897:Random Allocation; D012828:Silicones; D012841:Simethicone; D007507:Therapeutic Irrigation
chemical_list: D004573:Electrolytes; C033608:Golytely; D012828:Silicones; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012841:Simethicone