Can colonoscopy diagnose transmural ischaemic colitis after abdominal aortic surgery? An evidence-based approach.

Abstract

to assess the diagnostic value of colonoscopy in ischaemic colitis following abdominal aortic surgery, based on a literature review, and to introduce the concept of evidence-based medicine. a review of the literature according to evidence-based principles was made by all doctors of our department. seven prospective non-randomised reports on routine colonoscopy after abdominal aortic surgery were found. None of the participants found all the reports, and the last was identified by the reviewer. Endoscopy may disclose ischaemic colitis, but cannot separate transmural from the clinically less important mucosal ischaemia. Endoscopy had no impact on mortality in any of the prospective series. The evidence-based conference was an inspiring teaching modality, and illustrated for the participants the difficulty in performing a targeted literature search.