[Ambulant coloscopy in colitis ulcerosa and colorectal cancer].

In the first year after establishing a gastroenterological center in a vineyard and industrial district with 220.000 inhabitants we examined 1.171 patients. In 36.53% we had diseases in the lower gastrointestinal tract excluding proctological disturbances. We could find out 37 cases of colitis ulcerosa and 42 colorectal cancers. Excluding two cancers in colon transversum and ascendens all the tumors were found by coloscopy. Previously 4 cases of colitis ulcerosa were identified by other methods, clinically or by rectoscopy. In 48.6% of the colitis ulcerosa the transfer was done by reason of blood in the feces. The melaena lingers between 1 month and 10 years. Other presumed diagnoses for transfer to our Institute were gastroenteritis, proctitis, hemorrhoids, fissure or ileitis terminalis Crohn. In some rare cases the supposed diagnosis was salmonellosis or mycosis of the intestinum. In colorectal cancers the main reason for special gastroenterological investigation was the addition of blood to stool, whether microscopically or visible. Abdominal pain or ileus were following in frequency. Clinical symptoms were to be reconstructed in 30.9% for six weeks, in 59% for six months and in 9.5% up to one year. Most of the colorectal tumors (85.7%) were localized distal from splenic colonflexur, mostly in the rectosigmoid and colon descendens (see figure 1). Ambulant coloscopy is a method for quickly and definitive clarification, if the practitioner will refer swiftly.