role of intraoperative colonoscopy in the management of patients with colorectal cancer

ABSTRACT

Thirty patients underwent intraoperative colonoscopy during elective surgery for colorectal cancer. Complete examination of the colon was achieved in 29 patients [96.6%]. In two patients [6.6%] The colonoscope was inserted via colotomy to complete the examination. A synchronous carcinoma was found in four patients [13.3%] which necessitated a change of planned surgical procedure. Synchronous polyps were detected in two patients [66%] one of them had carcinoma in situ, they were removed endoscopically. The mean age of patients with synchronous carcinoma was significantly higher than that of those without [63.5 versus 51.3 years, P < 0.05]. Intraoperative colonoscopy took a mean of 15 minutes and serosal tear occurred in only one patient. Intraoperative colonoscopy allows complete assessment of the colon and localizes synchronous lesions in patients with colorectal cancers