title: The impact of an incomplete preoperative colonoscopy in patients with colorectal cancer.
abstract: Total large bowel evaluation remains an essential step in the treatment of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). Colonoscopy is the gold standard in the evaluation of the colon for colorectal tumors, but may be incomplete due to tumor obstruction, which is a frequent event in distal cancers. Double-contrast barium enema has a lower accuracy and is not ideal in the presence of signs of obstruction. In theory, intraoperative colonoscopy is a valid alternative, but its routine use is impeded by various practical limitations. Preoperative survey of the colon in 521 consecutive patients treated for CRC in our department was based on colonoscopy (92.5%). Our series was characterised by a high percentage of distal lesions (76.4%) and therefore by a high percentage of incomplete preoperative colonoscopies (50.4%) due to tumor obstruction. In the presence of an incomplete preoperative colonoscopy, we evaluated the entire colon with a double-contrast barium enema in selected cases (36.7%) and with a postoperative colonoscopy within 3 months of surgery in almost all patients (93.4%). The overall rate of complete endoscopic evaluation, either pre- or postoperatively, was 96.7%. The incidence of adenomas was significantly higher in the preoperative examinations as compared to early postoperative colonoscopy. This means that in distal cancer the vast majority of polyps will be located in the distal colon and therefore included in a standard resection. Four patients (0.8%), required a second operation for treatment of a missed lesion (2 benign and 2 malignant). The need for a repeat surgery apparently did not affect the therapeutic results in these four patients. On the basis of our experience, intraoperative colonoscopy would not appear to be a mandatory procedure in all cases of incomplete preoperative evaluation of the colon. However, in the absence of prospective, randomised trials comparing intraoperative vs early postoperative colonoscopy, the dilemma as to the strategy of choice remains.
authors.affiliation: University of Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Scintu
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: D'Alia
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cabras
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zorcolo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Melis
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Marongiu
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Casula
mesh_terms: D000236:Adenoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D001466:Barium Sulfate; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D003111:Colonic Polyps / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D003113:Colonoscopy; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D004733:Enema; D006801:Humans; D007432:Intraoperative Period; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D001466:Barium Sulfate