Is there a safe interval between diagnostic invasive procedure and the barium enema study of the colorectum?

In an attempt to define the optimal interval of safety when a barium enema study of the colon follows a planned injury of the bowel by local treatment or biopsy (or both), we studied a group of 833 patients who were seen at the Mayo Clinic during 1978. In the study group, 886 polyps were destroyed by fulguration, 258 lesions were both sampled and fulgurated, and 126 areas were sampled for biopsy study. One hundred ninety-four patients had multiple lesions; in 193 of these, 2-18 diminutive polyps were fulgurated. Of the 846 barium studies in the 833 patients, 5 were done on the same day as the planned injury, 543 within 24 hours, and 174 within 72 hours. Four patients demonstrated extravasation of barium, but none had signs or symptoms of acute perforation nor did the resected surgical specimen demonstrate communication with site of injury.