Clinical trial · Interventional
R vs L Lateral Decubitus Positioning in Colonoscopy
A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Right vs Left Lateral Decubitus Positioning on Outcomes in Colonoscopy
- Source
- ClinicalTrials.gov
- Retrieved
- Sep 8, 2026
- Layer
- normalized (units and labels harmonized; values unchanged)
- Run
- ING-CLINICALTRIALS-20260908-000001
Summary
Brief summary (as posted)
Colonoscopy continues to be the gold standard in detecting precancerous lesions in the colon. It relies on adequate visualization of the bowel wall to see and remove such lesions. Visualization is improved with luminal distention, and a multitude of studies have been done to determine ways to increase this luminal distention. The investigators theorize that positioning in the Right Lateral Decubitus rather than the Left Lateral Decubitus may be a cost free method to increase luminal distention and, hence, improve visualization in colonoscopy. In the Right Lateral Decubitus position, the sigmoid colon and cecum - both parts of the bowel that are not fixed - air used during colonoscopy will rise in a dependent fashion, increasing luminal distention. In the left lateral decubitus position, the bowel collapses, creating an often difficult area to maneuver and visualize. The investigators would like to compare both positions to determine if it affects outcomes in colonoscopy. In particular, cecal intubation rates and adenoma detection rates.
Conditions
Conditions (2)
Free-text conditions as registered, with the CancerIndex entity they were reconciled to and the match type.
| Condition (as posted) | Mapped entity | Match | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colonic Adenoma | Colon Adenoma | ALIAS | 0.90 |
| Colonic Cancer | Colon Neoplasm | PROBABILISTIC | 0.70 |
Interventions
Interventions (1)
| Intervention | Type | Mapped drug | Match |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colonoscopy - Position Change | Procedure | — | UNRESOLVED |
Design
Arms and outcomes
Arms (2)
- type
- NO_INTERVENTION
- label
- Left Lateral Decubitus Position
- description
- Gold standard positioning for colonoscopy
- type
- ACTIVE_COMPARATOR
- label
- Right Lateral Decubitus Position
- description
- Comparing positioning in Right Lateral Decubitus (intervention) for visualization in colonoscopy to the gold standard of Left Lateral Decubitus.
- interventionNames
- Procedure: Colonoscopy - Position Change
Primary outcomes (1)
- measure
- Decrease in Cecal Intubation Time
- timeFrame
- 3 months
- description
- The time it takes for a colonoscopist to start a colonoscopy and reach the cecum (endpoint or target area)
Eligibility
Eligibility (as posted)
- Sex
- All
- Minimum age
- 18 Years
Show eligibility criteria text
Inclusion Criteria: * Patients 18 years of age or older presenting for their scheduled colonoscopy Exclusion Criteria: * Previous bowel resection * Unable to stay in either the right or left lateral decubitus position, due to pre-existing musculoskeletal problems, previous hip surgery, etc. * Refusal to participate * Inability to provide informed consent
References
Publications (3)
- RESULTVergis N, McGrath AK, Stoddart CH, Hoare JM. Right Or Left in COLonoscopy (ROLCOL)? A Randomized Controlled Trial of Right- versus Left-Sided Starting Position in Colonoscopy. Am J Gastroenterol. 2015 Nov;110(11):1576-81. doi: 10.1038/ajg.2015.298. Epub 2015 Sep 29. PMID 26416195
- RESULTOu G, Kim E, Lakzadeh P, Tong J, Enns R, Ramji A, Whittaker S, Ko HH, Bressler B, Halparin L, Lam E, Amar J, Telford J. A randomized controlled trial assessing the effect of prescribed patient position changes during colonoscope withdrawal on adenoma detection. Gastrointest Endosc. 2014 Aug;80(2):277-83. doi: 10.1016/j.gie.2014.01.032. Epub 2014 Mar 12. PMID 24629419
- RESULTBall AJ, Johal SS, Riley SA. Position change during colonoscope withdrawal increases polyp and adenoma detection in the right but not in the left side of the colon: results of a randomized controlled trial. Gastrointest Endosc. 2015 Sep;82(3):488-94. doi: 10.1016/j.gie.2015.01.035. Epub 2015 Apr 22. PMID 25910661