A MODIFIED PER OS DOUBLE-CONTRAST EXAMINATION OF THE COLON IN THE ELDERLY

A modified per os double contrast examination of the colon was used in 62 elderly patients in whom conventional barium enema had been unsucc essful. We created endogenous gas generation instead of air insufflati on by per os administration of a special mixture containing barium sul fate, lactulose and gastrographin. Good quality double contrast images of the colon were obtained after 12 hours in 59 of the 62 patients. T he sensitivity of the method was 100 % in 6 patients suffering from ca rcinoma and in 15 patients suffering from diverticular disease. Howeve r, the method failed to demonstrate small solitary polyps in 5 patient s and it was also negative in another 27 patients. 7 of these had nega tive endoscopy and in the remaining a definite diagnosis was not estab lished by any other method. It seems that this method may become an al ternative for investigation of suspected colonic pathology in the elde rly patients with difficulty in retaining the barium enema.