The new guidelines include recommendations to improve results of colonoscopies and overall patient care. Since the last guidelines on bowel preparations, there have been advances in prep quality, safety and patient tolerability.
Dr. Cash said the most notable change the committee recommended is the consideration of split-dosing of the bowel prep as a minimum standard of care. Split-dosing a bowel prep involves consuming a portion of the prep the evening before the procedure and then consuming a second, equal portion within three to eight hours of the procedure. While at first glance this may appear inconvenient, multiple studies have shown that this method delivers superior colonoscopy preparation and is actually preferred by patients compared to consuming the entire prep the evening before the test.
The new guidelines also emphasize the importance of documenting bowel preparation quality using one of several validated scoring systems.
The ASGE promotes the highest standards for endoscopic training and practice, fosters endoscopic research, recognizes distinguished contributions to endoscopy, and is the foremost resource for endoscopic education. Click here for more information about the new guidelines.
