A descriptive investigation of the adequacy of bowel preparation prior to colonoscopy: protocol of a retrospective study

Background: colonoscopy is the most widely used technique for examining the colorectal mucosa. The diagnostic accuracy and therapeutic reliability of the examination depend on many factors including the quality of colon cleansing and bowel preparation. The aim of the study is to determine the standard of bowel preparation in patients undergoing colonoscopy. Methods: an observational, retrospective, single-center study. Inpatients and outpatients undergoing colonoscopy at the Alessandria Hospital's SS Digestive Endoscopy between 1 January 2021 and 31 December 2021 will be eligible. The study will use, the Boston Bowel Preparation Scale to assess bowel preparation. Study data will be collected by reviewing medical records and entered into the online computerized platform “Electronic Data Capture”. Conclusions: assessing the quality of bowel preparations is crucial to monitoring and detecting any problems that will be later reflected in the outcome of the procedure and enables the practitioners involved to seek possible solutions.