Introduction: Colonoscopy is considered as an easy and safe endoscopic procedure that can give
the most accurate diagnosis in most cases of suspected diseases of the large bowel,
and also has a potential to perform even therapeutic interventions. Our aim was to
assess the diagnostic and therapeutic specifications of colonoscopies in patients
over 80 years. Patients and methods: we retrospectively analysed our colonoscopy practice: During a 6-month period we performed
1361 colonoscopies in our department. 155 (11.4%) of the pts was older than 80 years.
The main indications were GI bleeding, suspected malignancy and diagnostic workup
for anemy. Results: The majority of pts (81.3%) got their examination not on ambulantory basis due to
significant number of severe comorbidities in this age group. Inappropriate bowel
cleansing was more frequent in older pts (33.6%) than in younger ones (25.8%). The
negative result was less frequent in older ages. We used much more less frequently
conscious sedation in older pts (14.2%). The rate of complete colonoscopy was suprisingly
low, only 62.6%. It can be explained by high pencentage of incomplete bowel cleansing
and a high number of tumors occluding the lumen. Complication rate due to bowel cleansing,
diagnostic procedures and therapeutic interventions is higher (2.6%) among olders.
Conclusion: To perform colonoscopy safely in older pts needs more efforts from us, than in case
of youngers. A longer duration of bowel cleansing – in hospital, if possible-, a cautious
sedation and monitoring older patients during colonoscopy and postprocedurally are
the key issues that should follow in this subgroup of patients.
