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World J Gastrointest Endosc. Apr 16, 2012; 4(4): 137-141
Published online Apr 16, 2012. doi: 10.4253/wjge.v4.i4.137
Published online Apr 16, 2012. doi: 10.4253/wjge.v4.i4.137
Unsedated colonoscopy: A neverending story
Vittorio Terruzzi, Silvia Paggi, Arnaldo Amato, Franco Radaelli, Division of Gastroenterology, Valduce Hospital, I-22100 Como, Italy
Author contributions: Terruzzi V, Paggi S, Amato A, Radaelli F substantially contributed to conception and design; Terruzzi V contributed to data collection, analysis and manuscript draft; Terruzzi V, Paggi S, Amato A and Radaelli F revised and approved the final manuscript.
Correspondence to: Vittorio Terruzzi, MD, Division of Gastroenterology, Valduce Hospital, via Dante, 11, I-22100 Como, Italy. vterruzzi@valduce.it
Telephone: +39-013324111 Fax: +39-031308047
Received: March 30, 2011
Revised: August 18, 2011
Accepted: March 1, 2012
Published online: April 16, 2012
Revised: August 18, 2011
Accepted: March 1, 2012
Published online: April 16, 2012
Abstract
Although sedation and analgesia for patients undergoing colonoscopy is the standard practice in Western countries, unsedated colonoscopy is still routinely provided in Europe and the Far East. This variation in sedation practice relies on the different cultural attitudes of both patients and endoscopists across these countries. Data from the literature consistently report that, in unsedated patients, the use of alternative techniques, such as warm water irrigation or carbon dioxide insufflation, can allow a high quality and well tolerated examination.
Keywords: Analgesia, Colonoscopy, Endoscopy, Sedation, Unsedated colonoscopy