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World J Gastroenterol. Mar 21, 2014; 20(11): 2735-2740
Published online Mar 21, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i11.2735
Published online Mar 21, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i11.2735
Adjuncts to colonic cleansing before colonoscopy
Sanghoon Park, Department of Internal Medicine, KEPCO Medical Center, KEPCO Medical Foundation, Seoul 132-703, South Korea
Yun Jeong Lim, Department of Internal Medicine, Dongguk University Ilsan Hospital, Goyang 411-773, South Korea
Author contributions: Park S and Lim YJ performed the literature review and analyzed the collected data; Park S wrote the manuscript; Lim YJ supervised the review project.
Correspondence to: Yun Jeong Lim, MD, Professor of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Dongguk University Ilsan Hospital, 814 Siksa-dong, Ilsandong-gu, Goyang 411-773, South Korea. limyj@dongguk.ac.kr
Telephone: +82-31-9617133 Fax: +82-31-9619339
Received: August 8, 2013
Revised: January 25, 2014
Accepted: February 20, 2014
Published online: March 21, 2014
Revised: January 25, 2014
Accepted: February 20, 2014
Published online: March 21, 2014
Core Tip
Core tip: Fair bowel cleansing is a prerequisite for unobstructed visualization in colonoscopy. Since the gold standard self-managed preparation procedure and purgative agent-related complications can limit thorough cleansing, several adjunctive agents and methods have been developed. Clinical experience with these adjuncts have led to some being advocated by endoscopists as useful accessory drugs and to others being criticized for causing further adverse effects or providing insufficient additional benefit. In this article, we reviewed several of the agents that are currently used as colonic cleansing adjuncts and provide a subjective evaluation of their practical value based on their evidentiary strengths and drawbacks.