PillCam Colon capsule endoscopy does not always complement incomplete colonoscopy.

BACKGROUND

There are no data on the role of PillCam Colon capsule (PCC) endoscopy for examination of the colon in incomplete colonoscopy cases.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate whether PCC endoscopy can complete colon examination after failure of conventional colonoscopy to visualize the cecum.

SETTING

Three tertiary centers.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective case series.

PATIENTS

Patients who underwent PCC endoscopy after incomplete colonoscopy from January to June 2008.

INTERVENTIONS

Conventional colonoscopy and PCC endoscopy.

RESULTS

By using PCC, we studied 12 patients who had incomplete colonoscopy. Six patients had an obstructing tumor of the left side of the colon, and, in 6 cases, there were technical difficulties to complete colonoscopy. PCC endoscopy visualized the rectum in 1 case. The capsule did not reach the site where colonoscopy stopped in 6 of the 12 cases, ie, 3 left sited tumors and 3 with technical difficulties. Moreover, in 1 of the 3 cases in which the capsule passed the site where colonoscopy stopped, poor bowel preparation precluded the accurate examination of the colon. Four patients underwent a third colon examination (3 barium enemas and 1 virtual CT colonoscopy). There were no adverse events related to PCC endoscopy.

LIMITATIONS

A retrospective study and a selected patient population. Data may not be applicable to other settings.

CONCLUSION

In this retrospective case series of patients with incomplete colonoscopy, PCC endoscopy did not always satisfactorily examine the colon.