Improvement of oral colonic lavage with supplemental simethicone

We have noted that colons of patients prepared for colonoscopy with Golytely, a nonabsorbable electrolyte lavage solution, frequently contain foam which may obscure small mucosal lesions. Therefore, a randomized, blinded controlled trial was performed to determine the prevalence of Golytely-induced foam and the effect of supplemental simethicone in decreasing the prevalence of foam. Foam was present in 32% of colons prepared with Golytely alone but in none of the colons prepared with Golytely supplemented with simethicone. In addition, only 5% of colons prepared with supplemental simethicone had residual stool noted at the time of colonoscopy, a significant improvement over the 39% prevalence of residual stool in colons prepared with Golytely alone. Addition of simethicone to Golytely lavage decreases the prevalence of colonic foam and residual stool.