Early endoscopy for acute lower gastrointestinal haemorrhage.

A personal prospective study of the value of early lower gastrointestinal endoscopy on patients admitted as emergencies with acute colorectal haemorrhage is presented. Thirty two patients were studied of whom 13 had severe continued colonic haemorrhage. A correct diagnosis was made in 20 (62.5%) and an incorrect diagnosis in 3 (9%). In only 3 was the examination terminated due to excessive blood. There was one serious complication of septicaemia in a patient with an arterio-enteric fistula. It is concluded that early colonoscopy for lower gastrointestinal bleeding is worthwhile.