Prospective study of gastric histology one year after the eradication of Helicobacter pylori (H.P.)

Introduction:The number of patients suffering colonic cancer in Japan is increasing consistently.To detect cancer(s) in their early stage, vigorous examination utilizing colonoscope should be widely performed.We must develope new colonoscope system that can ease patient's pain and doctor's efforts.For these purpose, we newly developed small caliber thinner colonoscpe in cooperation with Olympus Opt.Co. Ltd.Tokyo, Japan.New colonoscope is longer in effective length (180 cm vs. 160 cm) and thinner in diameter (8 mm vs. 15 mm) than present model, however, it could offer the same performance as present model in endoscopic surgery.Because of its decreased resistance and friction against colonic wall, small caliber colonoscope was expected to be easy to manipulate, to give less pain to patients and to provide more time for doctors to make finer diagnosis.Small caliber colonoscope were also expected to be useful for the examination of colonic cancers with severe stenosis.Methods and Result: (1) In 22 cases with colonic adenomas, degree of pain patients felt during examination and time needed for the total procedure using small caliber colonoscope did not significantly differ from those of using present model.(2) For 10 patients who complained severe pain during former examination using present model of colonoscope, examination could reduce procedure time by 4.5 min on an average and patients felt less pain.(3) In 8 cases who could not pass through stenotic lesion because of severe diverticulitis or abdomnal adhesion due to previous surgical operation, 6 cases out of 8 could achieved totalcolonoscopy with small caliber colonoscopy system.(4) In 14 cases out of 16 advanced colonic cancer cases with severe stenosis through which present model of colonoscope could not pass, we got clear information of oral side of these obstructive lesions by small caliber colonoscopic system.Furthermore, we could detect 10 more tumoric lesions and 1 obstructive colitis in these 14 cases by using small caliber colonoscope.Conclusion: These results suggest that small caliber colonoscope is more useful than present model for the cases with severe stenosis, adhesion or diverticulitis.