Colonic Biopsies In Patients With Normal Colonoscopies: Indications And Contribution

Aims Colonic biopsies in patients with normal colonoscopy are indicated essentially during chronic diarrhea but may find their place in other situations. The aim of our work is to determine the different indications for colonic biopsies with normal mucosa and assess their utility.

Methods This is a retrospective, descriptive, single-center study during 5 years including all patients having a normal colonoscopy with multiple colonic biopsies.

Results During the study period, 217 patients were collected. These were 123 men (56.68 %) and 94 women (43.31 %). The mean age of our patients was 47.8 years [12–84 years]. The indications of colonoscopy were dominated by chronic diarrhea in 139 cases (64 %). Other indications were found: colonic thickening (n = 27), recurrent perianal suppurations (n = 21), alternating diarrhea and constipation (n = 17), staging of gastric lymphoma (n = 9) and primary sclerosing cholangitis (n = 4). Ileocolic biopsies were normal in 148 cases (68.2 %). Histological examination was conclusive in 39 cases (18 %) and shows lesions compatible with: microscopic colitis in 27 cases (12.44 %), eosinophilic colitis in 9 cases (4.14 %) and Crohn’s disease in 3 cases. In 34 cases (15.66 %), colonic biopsies were not contributory and they find a non-specific inflammatory infiltrate.

Conclusions In our study, colonic biopsies with normal colonoscopy made it possible to establish a diagnosis in 18 % of our patients.These results clearly demonstrate that multiple biopsies of the rectum and colon are useful in patients with abdominal symptoms, particularly in the case of diarrhea, and normal endoscopy.

Citation: Bradai S, Mahmoudi M, khsiba A etal. eP303 COLONIC BIOPSIES IN PATIENTS WITH NORMAL COLONOSCOPIES: INDICATIONS AND CONTRIBUTION. Endoscopy 2021; 53: S198.

Publication History

Article published online:
19 March 2021