[Quality control and use of resources in colonoscopy. A prospective evaluation of 1000 colonoscopies]

In a prospective study 1,000 consecutive colonoscopies were registered in a specially designed database. Mean time spent on colonoscopy was 26.3 minutes. 419 colonoscopies were technically difficult. The desired level in the gut was reached in 747 examinations. There were two non-fatal complications. Both were haemorrhages following snare polypectomies. One third of the colonoscopies were control examinations. If we followed the commonly accepted policy for control of colitis and neoplasms, in a few years time, all our capacity would be used for routine examinations. A consensus for selection of patients for colonoscopy is needed. We found 107 of 230 double-contrast barium enema examinations to be false negative or false positive. This is a higher figure than obtained with colonoscopy.