French Society of Digestive Endoscopy (SFED) Guidelines on performing a colonoscopy

Colonoscopy is the standard examination for diagnosing colorectal diseases and treating colorectal superficial neoplasms. Colonoscopy must be performed under the best conditions for optimum results. However, it is difficult to lay down rules as there is a scant amount of scientific data or available references on numerous points and because the practice is different from country to country, so that consulting the international literature is of limited use. Most of the options set out below are only the result of consulting experts. These guidelines are provisional and for guidance only as they are liable to change as and when new scientific information comes to light.