Polyethylene glycol electrolyte lavage solution (PEG-ELS). A rapid, safe mechanical bowel preparation for colorectal surgery.

The use of polyethylene glycol electrolyte lavage solution (PEG-ELS) as a whole-bowel irrigation for colorectal surgery is retrospectively evaluated in 65 consecutive patients. Sixty-three (97%) of the patients were able to complete the lavage. Fifty-five (85%) of these tolerated the preparation without event. Unpleasant reactions of nausea, vomiting, or fullness resolved in most patients by decreasing the rate of ingestion. Twenty-seven patients had associated medical illnesses that may have been aggravated by volume overload, but none of these experienced any adverse effects from the lavage. Most patients completed the total lavage ingestion of 4 L in 4 hours, which resulted in a 1-day preparation prior to operation. There were no wound or septic complications in any of the lavage patients. This clinical review indicates that PEG-ELS is a safe, rapid, and effective mechanical bowel preparation that should be able to reduce in-hospital preparation time for most patients undergoing colorectal surgery.