Emergency cases following elective colonoscopy: Iatrogenic colonic perforation

Our aim in this study was to present the cases of our patients who contracted colonic perforation during elective colonoscopy and became emergency cases; we also discuss treatment modalities along with literature reports on the subject.

Cases of patients who contracted iatrogenic colonic perforation following endoscopy of the colorectal system between January 2009 and December 2015 at Kartal Koşuyolu Yüksek İhtisas Training and Research Hospital's Endoscopy Unit were reviewed retrospectively.

Within the duration of the study, 5.586 patients underwent colonoscopies at our hospital; 7 (0.12%) of these patients contracted iatrogenic colonic perforation. Three (42.8%) of these patients were male, four (57.2%) were female, and their mean age was 69 years (46 to 84). Six (85.7%) patients were diagnosed intraoperationally, while one (14.3%) patient was diagnosed 12 hours after the procedure. The perforation area was the sigmoid colon in six patients and the ascending colon in one patient; all patients underwent surgery. Four patients were discharged with no complications. One of the remaining three patients had enterocutaneous fistula, one had acute renal failure, and one died of sepsis.

The progress of perforation due to colonoscopy varies according to the underlying diseases, the mechanism of perforation formation, the treatment modality used, and the experience of the physicians treating the patient. Special attention should be paid to senior and comorbid patients receiving therapeutic procedures during colonoscopy.