The Indications and Findings at Colonoscopy in a Tertiary Hospital in North-Central Nigeria: A Seven-Year Review

Colonoscopy is an invaluable tool used in the diagnosis of colorectal diseases. It is also useful in the prevention and treatment of some of these diseases. The knowledge of the prevailing colorectal diseases is key to planning for prevention.

This study aimed at determining the spectra of indications and findings at colonoscopy in a tertiary health facility.

This was a hospital-based cross-sectional study of all patients who underwent colonoscopy between March 2013 and February 2020. The patients' biodata, indications and findings at colonoscopy were retrieved from the Endoscopy Register.

A total of 385 colonoscopy reports were included in the analysis. The age of the patients ranged from 14 to 95 years with a mean age (standard deviation) of 55.9 (15.4) years. There were 219 (57.0%) males and 166 (43.0%) females. The commonest indication for colonoscopy was haematochezia 150 (38.9%) followed by suspected colorectal malignancy 98 (25.5%), abdominal pain 28 (7.3%), altered bowel habit 21 (5.5%), constipation 20 (5.2%), chronic diarrhoea 19 (4.9%), surveillance/ screening 16 (4.2%), occult bleeding and anal pain 7 (1.8%) each, and others 19 (4.9%). The colonoscopy findings were normal findings 116 (30.1%), haemorrhoids 127 (32.9%), colorectal polyps 70 (18.2%), diverticulosis 46 (11.9%), rectal tumour 43 (11.2%), colonic tumour 32 (8.3%), colitis 23 (5.9%), angiodysplasias 6 (1.6), others 12 (3.1%). The findings were not mutually exclusive. Our diagnostic yield was 69.9%.

The commonest indication and diagnosis for colonoscopy were haematochezia and haemorrhoids respectively. Our diagnostic yield was 69.9%.