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.

1 . A method for cleansing the bowels and colon of a mammal comprising the steps of: 
 a) orally administering to the mammal an effective amount of a stimulant laxative;    b) allowing the stimulant laxative to produce a bowel movement;    c) orally administering to the mammal an effective amount of an osmotic laxative; and    d) allowing the mammal to evacuate the bowels and colon, 
 whereby the colon is adequately cleansed to permit diagnostic testing or surgery.  
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising the further step of administering a clear liquid to the mammal after administration of the effective amount of the stimulant laxative.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the osmotic laxative is an aqueous suspension of a polyethylene glycol (PEG) that is a solid at room temperature.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the effective amount of the osmotic laxative is from about 50 g to about 400 g of PEG in about 2 L of an isotonic solution.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the osmotic laxative is administered in divided doses of PEG, each dose comprising from about 68 g to about 75 g of PEG in about 8 fluid oz. of isotonic solution over a 2 hour period.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the stimulant laxative is bisacodyl.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the effective amount of bisacodyl is from about 5 mg to about 40 mg.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the effective amount of bisacodyl is from about 10 mg to about 20 mg.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the osmotic laxative is PEG 3350 and the effective amount of osmotic laxative is about 2 L of an aqueous solution comprising about 118 g to about 210 g of PEG 3350; the stimulant laxative is bisacodyl; and the effective amount of bisacodyl is from about 10 mg to about 20 mg.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising the steps of: 
 a) orally administering to the mammal from about 10 mg to about 40 mg of bisacodyl;    b) orally administering to the mammal a solution comprising an effective amount of an osmotic laxative; and    c) administering to the mammal about 16 to 24 fluid oz. of water.    
     
     
         11 . A preparation for preparing a patient's bowels and colon for colonoscopic examination or surgery comprising: 
 a) an effective amount of a stimulant laxative, and    b) bowel/colonic lavage solution, having a volume less than about 2 L, said solution comprising an effective amount of PEG and electrolyte salts to make an isotonic solution.    
     
     
         12 . A preparation for preparing a patient's bowels and colon as in  claim 11  wherein said colonic lavage solution comprises an isotonic aqueous solution comprising about 210 g of PEG 3350.  
     
     
         13 . A preparation for preparing a patient's bowels and colon as in  claim 12  wherein the colonic lavage solution consists essentially of about 2 L of an isotonic solution of about 210 g of PEG 3350 in electrolytes.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , whereby preparation time of the bowels and colon and adverse symptoms in the mammal are diminished.