Conservative Management of Colonoscopic Perforation Can Be Misleading

Abstract

The management of colonoscopic perforations is still evolving. Many now agree to the selective management strategy: Perforations during diagnostic colonoscopy being treated surgically and therapeutic ones treated conservatively. However, patients with diagnostic perforation, if they have clean bowel and no signs of peritonitis, are still treated conservatively. We report here the case of a woman who had a perforation during diagnostic colonoscopy who was treated medically with good progress and no signs of peritonitis during her hospital stay for five days, but collapsed and died at home two days later.