Laparoscopic repair of perforation of the colon during colonoscopy

Abstract

Perforation of the colon during colonoscopy is uncommon, with the incidence ranging from 0.1% to 0.8% for diagnostic cases and 0.5% to 3% for therapeutic cases.1 The incidence in our department was 0.38%.2 Associated morbidity and mortality rates are significant, especially if there are concomitant medical conditions.2,3 The recent development of therapeutic laparoscopy has opened new avenues to the management of iatrogenic colonic perforation. This is the first case report of successful management of a large colonic perforation by totally intra-abdominal laparoscopic closure.