Outcomes of surgical management of iatrogenic colonic perforation by colonoscopy and risk factors for worse outcome.

PURPOSE: To assess outcomes of surgical management for iatrogenic colonic perforations and risk factors of worse outcome.

METHODS

We reviewed the medical records of patients with colonic perforations during colonoscopies 2007 - 2016 at the National Cancer Institute. We collected patient demographic data, colonoscopic reports, perforations treatment and outcome.

RESULTS

Perforation rate was 0.14% (23 of 16 186). Twenty were managed surgically. The most common location of perforation was the sigmoid colon in 12 cases (60%). The most used surgical technique was simple suture (11 cases - 55%), followed by resection with anastomosis (6 - 30%), and Hartman's procedure in 3 cases (15%). Postoperative morbidity and mortality rates were 45% and 15% - three patients died. No significant relationship between time to surgery (p=0.285), American Society of Anaesthesiologists (ASA) score (p=0.642) or patient age (p=0.964) and postoperative complication were found.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients need to be informed of the complications of colonoscopy. We could not determine strong risk factors for worse outcomes.