Indications and findings of lower gastrointestinal endoscopy: a retrospective study in Eastern Regional Hospital, Koforidua, Ghana

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Colonoscopy is a safe and effective means of visual inspection of the large bowel from the distal rectum to the caecum. There is a paucity of data on this procedure in Ghana. The only data in literature are from Kumasi and Accra. This paper reviews the indications and findings of lower gastrointestinal endoscopy (LGIE) in Eastern Regional Hospital, Koforidua, Ghana. METHODS: a retrospective study was undertaken on patients who underwent colorectal endoscopy between January 2019 and December 2019. RESULTS: one hundred and six (106) LGIE procedures were performed. Sixteen patients had flexible sigmoidoscopy and the rest had full colonoscopy. Of those who had colonoscopy, caecal intubation rate was 86.2%. Males were 69 and mean age 56.67 ± 16.48. The most common primary indication was bleeding per rectum. The most common primary endoscopic finding was haemorrhoids (54.17%) followed by colorectal tumors (15.0%). 11.6% of the patients had normal endoscopic findings. A diagnosis of haemorrhoids was made in 61.6% of those presented with bleeding per rectum as an indication and was the commonest cause of lower gastrointestinal bleeding (LGIB). CONCLUSIONS: the commonest indication for colonoscopy was rectal bleeding, while the most frequent pathology was haemorrhoids. The proportion of our patient population found to have a colorectal tumor or polyps was not insignificant. Screening program for colorectal cancer in Ghana should be considered.