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Published in: Surgical Endoscopy 8/2020

01-08-2020 | Colonoscopy | 2020 SAGES Oral

A randomized controlled trial comparing right and left lateral decubitus starting position on outcomes in colonoscopy

Authors: Alison Greene, Mark Borgoankar, Kathy Hodgkinson, Chantae Garland, Lisa Bacque, David Pace

Published in: Surgical Endoscopy | Issue 8/2020

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Abstract

Background

Patient positioning in colonoscopy has been proposed as a simple and inexpensive technique to increase luminal distention and improve navigation through the large bowel. We sought to determine if the right lateral (RL) starting position compared to the standard left lateral (LL) starting position could improve outcomes in colonoscopy.

Methods

We conducted a randomized controlled trial of 185 patients who were undergoing an elective colonoscopy. Patients were randomized to either a right lateral decubitus starting position or a left lateral decubitus starting position and the primary outcome measure was cecal intubation time. Secondary outcome measures included cecal intubation rate, patient discomfort, and sedation dosage. All colonoscopists who had successfully completed a colonoscopy skills improvement course were included in the trial. A sample size was calculated prior to the start of the study and outcomes were analyzed using univariate and multiple regression analyses.

Results

A total of 94 patients were randomized to RL starting position and 91 patients were randomized to LL starting position. No difference was found in time to cecal intubation comparing the RL starting position (542.6 s, SD 360.7 s) to LL starting position (497.85 s, SD 288.3 s) (p = 0.354). Variables associated with prolonged cecal intubation time included female gender, General Surgery specialty, less than 5 years of endoscopist experience, a high patient discomfort score, amount of water used, and number of position changes required to reach the cecum. There was no difference in any of the secondary outcome measures aside from the amount of midazolam used, with more midazolam used for patients starting in the right lateral decubitus position.

Conclusion

This study failed to show an association between cecal intubation time and patient position comparing right and left lateral starting position.
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Metadata
Title
A randomized controlled trial comparing right and left lateral decubitus starting position on outcomes in colonoscopy
Authors
Alison Greene
Mark Borgoankar
Kathy Hodgkinson
Chantae Garland
Lisa Bacque
David Pace
Publication date
01-08-2020
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Surgical Endoscopy / Issue 8/2020
Print ISSN: 0930-2794
Electronic ISSN: 1432-2218
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00464-020-07661-x

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