Loading...
The complication rate associated with flexible sigmoidoscopy (FS) is poorly understood. In this study, the Kaiser Permanente Group reported complications among 107,704 people at average risk who underwent screening FS from 1994 through 1996. The main outcome measures were hospitalization for gastrointestinal (GI) complications or acute myocardial infarction (MI). Nongastroenterologist physicians or nurse endoscopists performed 72% of sigmoidoscopies. The average numbers of FSs performed per year were 344 for gastroenterologists, 482 for nonphysicians, and 155 for nongastroenterologist physicians.
There were 24 GI complications, including 2 perforations; 1 was a perforated cancer that was not seen during FS because of poor preparation that li…