Method of bowel cleansing

Abstract

Stimulant laxative in combination with an osmotic laxative produces safe and effective bowel and colon cleansing with a reduced volume of liquid input. Administering to a patient an oral stimulant laxative, such as bisacodyl, followed, after a biologically determined interval, by a reduced volume of a PEG in water solution cleanses the bowels and colon in preparation for diagnostic colonoscopy, without the profuse uncontrollable diarrhea that typically follows either ingestion of large volume isotonic lavages, or smaller volume hypertonic lavages.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 10 / 277,620 entitled “Method of Bowel Cleansing,” filed Oct. 22, 2002, the contents of which is herein incorporated by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] We have now discovered a new method that can be used to safely and effectively cleanse a patient's bowels, especially the colon prior to diagnostic or surgical procedures. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

[0003] Although years of clinical research have been expended to make early detection of colorectal cancer (CRC) a high clinical priority, the disease remains the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States. In 1999, an estimated 60,000 deaths were attributed to CRC which accounted for the third highest number of new cancer cases that year, only lagging prostate and respiratory cancers for men and breast and respiratory cancers in women. Investigators estimate there were 129,000 new cases in 1999 alone. Lif...