Aims The aim of this paper was to evaluate the performance measures of emergency colonoscopy.
Methods A retrospective cross-sectional study, that involved patients undergoing emergency
colonoscopy at the Department of Emergency Gastroenterology, Clinical Center of Serbia
was performed, for a period of two years. Data were obtained on the basis of medical
records. Descriptive statistics methods were used. Continuous variables were presented
as mean ± standard deviation. Discontinuous variables were presented as frequencies
(percentages).
Results The study included 197 patients, mean age 61.5 ± 15.2, ranging from 22 to 90 years.
Of the total number of patients, 62.9% (n = 124) were men. The most common indication
for colonoscopy was rectal bleeding, which was present in 31.0% (n = 61). Adequate
bowel preparation for the examination had 67.5% (n=135) patients. Cecum intubation
was achieved in 65% (n=130) patients. The polyp detection rate was 37.7%, while the
adenoma detection rate was 22.5%, for patients ≥ 50 years of age. For all total colonoscopies,
the endoscope extraction time was > 6 minutes.
Conclusions During the emergency colonoscopy, the lower percentage of adequate bowel preparation,
cecum intubation and lower detection rate of polyps and adenomas was achieved. The
lower performance measures are most likely due to the patient´s general condition,
primarily comorbidity, as well as the specificity of the emergency colonoscopy itself.
