Fiberoptic colonoscopy: diagnostic value in 250 consecutive patients.

Endoscopic findings and accomplishments in 250 consecutive patients are presented. Of these patients 72% were found to have polyps, cancer, inflammatory bowel disease or other specific positive findings. In almost half of these patients, no definitive diagnosis had been made before the procedure. In half of the patients, new information was obtained which was not known before the procedure. Indications for colonoscopy are presented to demonstrate the situations in which the procedure was valuable not only to remove polyps, but also to explain nonspecific radiologic abnormalities, unexplained rectal bleeding, or diarrhea, and to detect unknown cancers and polyps.