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Air insufflation during colonoscopy can lengthen and distend the colon, making cecal intubation difficult for endoscopists and uncomfortable for patients. Warm-water infusion has been proposed as an alternative. To directly compare the two techniques, investigators assessed 56 patients who were referred for screening or surveillance colonoscopy at a single Veterans Affairs hospital and who agreed to undergo the procedure with only minimal sedation. All patients were premedicated with 50 mg of diphenhydramine, 25 μg of fentanyl, and 1 mg of midazolam; they received additional increments as needed during the procedure.
Patients in the water arm were infused with an average of 938 mL of water; patients in the air arm were infused with an averag…