Application of carbon dioxide to the conventional colonoscopy

Abstract

Objective To explore the application of CO2 as an insufflation agent in patients undergoing colonoscopy by comparing carbon dioxide(CO2) and air. Methods Consecutive 681 patients who underwent conventional colonoscopy from January to May in 2014 at endoscopy center of our hospital were included. The patients were randomly divided into the air group and CO2 group. The gas flow, capacity, operation time, PaCO2 and abdominal pain during and 20 min, 40 min, 1 h, 2 h, 12 h, 24 h after colonoscopy were recorded. The safety and advantages of CO2 in the colonoscopy were analyzed. Results The intubation time of CO2 group was significantly shorter than that of air group (P 0.05). There was also no difference in air flow and the total volume between the two groups (P>0.05). PaCO2 of two groups were within the normal range. PaCO2 during examination was significantly higher than that before and 20 minutes after examination (P 0.05). The abdominal pain scores during and 20 min, 40 min, 1 h, 2 h after the examination of air group were significantly higher than those of CO2 group (P 0.05). Conclusion CO2 is safe and could reduce abdominal discomfort after colonoscopy, which is suitable for clinical application. Key words: Carbon dioxide; Air; Colonoscopes; Comparative study