A randomized trial comparing the effects of sennoside and cisapride on bowel preparation for flexible sigmoidoscopy

Abstract

The objective of the current study was to determine the usefulness of oral administration of sennoside and/or cisapride as the bowel preparation for elective flexible sigmoidoscopy on the day before examination. Ninety-nine patients who had anal symptoms probably due to hemorrhoidal diseases and underwent flexible sigmoidoscopy for excluding colorectal diseases were randomly selected to receive 1) 120 ml of glycerin enema (GE) on the day of examination alone (GE alone method), 2) 24 mg of sennoside (S) on the day before examination and GE on the day of examination (S+GE method), 3) 7.5 mg of cisapride (C) on the day beret examination and GE on the day of examination (C+GE method), or 4) both S and C on the day before examination and GE on the day of examination (S+C+GE method). The site where formed stool was first found, the grade of bowel preparation of each colonic segment, and the segment to which the insertion of endoscopy was possible were recorded. By the S+C+GE method, formed stool in the rectum was less and the grade of preparation of the descending colon was better than by other preparations. Furthermore, total colonoscopy was possible in some patients. There results suggested that the S+C+GE method is useful as the bowel preparation for elective flexible sigmoidoscopy.