History of hysterectomy: a significant problem for colonoscopists that is not present in patients who have had sigmoid colectomy.

PURPOSE: During colonoscopy, it is often difficult to traverse the sigmoid colon in patients who have had a hysterectomy, presumably due to postsurgical pelvic adhesions. We performed this study to document this difficulty and to determine whether sigmoid colectomy prevents it.

METHODS

Data were acquired from a single endoscopist's prospective database. Colonoscopies performed in women were grouped according to history of hysterectomy and/or sigmoid colectomy. Groups were compared for colonoscopy completion rate, medication used, and time of examination. Participation of fellows and rate of complications were recorded. Patients with a history of abdominal-perineal resection of the rectum were excluded.

RESULTS

From 1989 to 2006, a total of 4116 colonoscopies were performed in women: 993 had undergone hysterectomy (24.1%), of whom 108 (10.9%) had also undergone sigmoid colectomy. There were 3123 exams in woman who had their uterus (75.9%); 320 (10.2%) had undergone sigmoid colectomy. Patients who still had a sigmoid colon but had a history of hysterectomy had significantly lower colonoscopy completion rates (89.2%) and significantly longer mean examination time (28.9 +/- 12.3 minutes), and more of them required sedation with benzodiazepines (88.7%) than the other groups (P < .05). Fellow participation increased time of colonoscopy and complications were more frequent in patients with hysterectomy.

CONCLUSION

Posthysterectomy adhesions to the sigmoid colon make colonoscopy more difficult and more painful. These adverse effects are not present in hysterectomized women who have undergone sigmoid resection.