# The Effects of Positioning During Colonoscopy on Efficacy and Post-procedure Comfort

## TL;DR

This study compared colonoscopy effectiveness and patient comfort in two body positions but found no significant differences.

## Contribution

The study provides new evidence that positioning during colonoscopy does not affect outcomes or post-procedure comfort.

## Key findings

- No significant difference in time to reach the cecum or total procedure time between positions.
- No significant difference in post-procedural pain or discomfort scores between positions.
- Colonoscopy findings were similar regardless of patient positioning.

## Abstract

There are studies with different results on improving effectiveness and patient comfort by increasing lumen distention through positioning during colonoscopy. In our study, we aimed to compare colonoscopy outcomes and post-procedural patient comfort in the left-lateral and right-lateral positions.

A total of 231 patients who underwent screening colonoscopy were included. Patients were randomized to either the left-lateral or the right-lateral position. Patient age, sex, comorbidities, body mass index (BMI) values, times to reach the cecum, ileum intubation rates, total procedure times, and colonoscopy findings were compared. Pain and discomfort after the procedure were evaluated and compared with the visual analog scale (VAS) scores at 30 minutes, 6 hours, and 24 hours.

Colonoscopy was performed in the left-lateral position in 129 patients and in the right-lateral position in 102. The distributions of age, sex, comorbidities, and BMI values were similar in both groups. The time to reach the cecum and the total procedure time were similar in both groups. There were no significant differences in the findings detected by colonoscopy. There was no significant difference in the post-procedural VAS scores.

This study failed to show a difference in colonoscopy outcomes and postprocedural discomfort between the left- and right lateral positions.