• Reference Number: HEY-1280/2021
• Departments: Radiology
• Last Updated: 1 July 2021

Klean-Prep solution is used to show the walls of the small bowel in MRI examinations. Without it, the bowel walls cannot be seen clearly.  For the Klean-Prep to work it needs to be drunk starting an hour prior to the examination, drinking it steadily over 30 to 45 minutes.

It is mixed with water and orange squash or similar flavouring will be offered.

You should not take Klean-Prep if:

• You are allergic to any of its contents
• You have a blockage or a hole in your bowel
• You have ileus (loss of muscle tone in the gut)
• You have gastric retention (stomach does not empty well)
• You have Toxic Colitis or Toxic Megacolon
• You have congestive heart failure
• You are pregnant

You should discuss with staff in the department before taking Klean-Prep if:

• You have a problem swallowing
• You have reflux oesophagitis (stomach acid entering the gullet)
• You have ulcerative colitis (an inflammatory disease of the bowel which can cause abdominal pain and bloody diarrhoea)
• You are prone to regurgitation (food returning from the stomach into the gullet and mouth) or aspiration (breathing in food or fluid)
• Have heart problems including irregular heartbeats or palpitations
• Have kidney problems
• You are breast feeding

Please do your best to drink it as instructed or we will not get very good pictures and this may affect how useful the pictures will be. If you feel sick, try drinking more slowly or take a break from drinking for a few minutes until you feel better. You can go to the toilet at any time while you are drinking the Klean-Prep and waiting for your examination.  Klean-Prep may cause slightly loose bowel motions for a day or two. This should resolve on its own. Klean-Prep will not affect your ability to drive or use machines.

Like all medicines, Klean-Prep can have side effects. These effects have happened to some people but they are so rare that there is no data to say how often they may occur.

• Nausea, and/or a feeling of fullness in your stomach, bloating,  abdominal cramps, vomiting and soreness of the bottom
• Itchy skin rash (nettle rash or hives)
• Swelling of the face or lips and difficulty breathing
• Develop very low levels of sodium and potassium in the blood and may experience fits, confusion or disorientation. This is more common if people are taking medicines which affect the kidneys, like diuretics
• Dehydration or thirst
• Headaches
• Shivering or fever, general unwellness
• A brief increase in blood pressure

If you have any of these symptoms whilst in the department, please see a member of staff. If you have symptoms later on and normal over the counter remedies do not help, please go to see your GP or walk in centre

Should you require further advice on the issues contained in this advice sheet, please do not hesitate to contact the MRI Department on telephone number: (01482) 674080

General Advice and Consent

Most of your questions should have been answered by this leaflet, but remember that this is only a starting point for discussion with the healthcare team.

Consent to treatment

Before any doctor, nurse or therapist examines or treats you, they must seek your consent or permission. In order to make a decision, you need to have information from health professionals about the treatment or investigation which is being offered to you. You should always ask them more questions if you do not understand or if you want more information.

The information you receive should be about your condition, the alternatives available to you, and whether it carries risks as well as the benefits. What is important is that your consent is genuine or valid. That means:

• you must be able to give your consent
• you must be given enough information to enable you to make a decision
• you must be acting under your own free will and not under the strong influence of another person

Information about you

We collect and use your information to provide you with care and treatment. As part of your care, information about you will be shared between members of a healthcare team, some of whom you may not meet. Your information may also be used to help train staff, to check the quality of our care, to manage and plan the health service, and to help with research. Wherever possible we use anonymous data.

We may pass on relevant information to other health organisations that provide you with care. All information is treated as strictly confidential and is not given to anyone who does not need it. If you have any concerns please ask your doctor, or the person caring for you.

Under the General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018 we are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of any information we hold about you. For further information visit the following page: Confidential Information about You.

If you or your carer needs information about your health and wellbeing and about your care and treatment in a different format, such as large print, braille or audio, due to disability, impairment or sensory loss, please advise a member of staff and this can be arranged.