Contribution of intraoperative colonoscopy in a colorectal surgery unit^*

Abstract

Objectives: Intraoperative colonoscopy (IC) is routinely used in colorectal surgery procedures, both oncologic and benign ones. Despite its extensive use there is a lack of literature addressing this important issue. The aims of this paper are to determine the contributions of this tool, especially considering changes in attitude from preoperative designed intervention.

Materials and methods: This study is a retrospective analysis of a prospective maintained database. Patients who underwent colorectal resection and IC during a four-year period (2009–2012). The indications for performing IC in our unit are: Incomplete preoperative colonoscopy, confirm the exact location of the tumor and polypectomy of any lesion distant from the planned resection segment.

Results: The success rate in performing IC is 100%, including 42% of them made trans-anastomotic. No postoperative complications that were attributable to the endoscopy were detected. Routine practice led to a change in attitude in 5% of the patients analyzed; 2% of the global sample corresponded to synchronous tumors finding. Of those patients in whom polypectomies where achieved during the procedure a 14.3% of potentially malignant lesions were resected.

Conclusions: Intraoperative colonoscopy is a useful and safe tool that in view of these results should be taken into account at any colorectal surgery unit. Trans-anastomotic techniques do not raise morbidity.

Keywords:

• Intraoperative colonoscopy
• colorectal cancer
• polipectomy
• full colon exploration

Acknowledgements

All authors apart from Dr. José Miguel Esteban have moved to other Hospitals or Clinics. The authors wish to thank Mr. Ron Hartong for his help with English editing.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.