Timing of Bowel Preparation for Colonoscopy

Considerable evidence suggests that ingesting some or all required lavage solution a few hours before colonoscopy results in improved bowel cleansing. To test this hypothesis further, researchers in Taiwan evaluated a series of 121 consecutive patients who were undergoing second colonoscopies after detection of colorectal neoplasms during screening colonoscopies. The patients were randomized to ingest polyethylene glycol electrolyte lavage solution (PEG-ELS) either the day of colonoscopy or the night before.

Bowel cleansing was rated as “excellent” for 93% of the group who ingested PEG-ELS on the day of colonoscopy, compared with 72% of the previous-night group (P=0.003). In addition, more lesions were detected in the same-day group than in …