Surgical Treatment of Colonoscopic Complications

Colonoscopy is the procedure with very low percentage of all complications, especially those that require surgical intervention. Even with this low percentage of significant complications, absolute numbers are significant because it is estimated that 1.69 million colonoscopies are performed each year in the U.S. alone. The most common surgical complication is colonic perforation, followed by bleeding which can be free intraabdominal or intraluminal. Other complications are rare with only case reports published such as pneumothorax, pneumomediastinum, appendicitis and small or large bowel obstruction. This book presents current research in the study of colonoscopic complications and the surgical treatments available for this condition.