Application value of transparent-cap-assisted colonoscopy: A randomized clinical trial

Colonoscopy provides limited protection against interval colorectal cancer. This study aims to investigate the application value of transparent-cap-assisted colonoscopy (CAC) regarding cecal intubation time and polyp detection rate. This prospective randomized controlled trial recruited 480 patients in our hospitals. The patients were randomly assigned to either standard colonoscopy (SC) or CAC procedures. Six attending physicians or above conducted the colonoscopies. Caecal intubation time and polyp detection rate were compared between the 2 groups. No significant differences in epidemical characteristics were noted between the 2 groups. When compared to the SC group, CAC had no significant difference in terms of cecal intubation rate, and polyp/adenoma detection rate, but had significant differences in terms of ileal intubation rate, cecal time, total colonoscopy time, and when compared to SC, CAC is a secure, practical, and simple technique that improves ileal intubation rate, and cecal time, and offers a higher polyps/adenomas detection rate in subjects aged ≥50 years. This study is a basic research and does not include complex cases. In our In our next trials, this simple method will be compared to determine whether it is possible to enhance protection against interstitial colon cancer for difficult colonoscopies (including those subjects aged ≥50 years with polyps, postoperative intestinal adhesions, constipation or obesity, etc).