[Incidence of iatrogenic perforation during colonoscopy and their treatment in a university hospital]

Endoscopic tattooing of colorectal neoplasms removed by laparoscopy: a proposal for selective marking

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Preoperative endoscopic tattooing is an effective procedure to identify small intraoperative neoplasms. However, there are no defined criteria with regard to the indications for endoscopic tattooing of these lesions at the time of diagnosis. The aim of this study was to establish endoscopic criteria that allow the selection of patients who will need a tattoo during the diagnostic colonoscopy.

METHODS

An ambispective study of patients undergoing laparoscopy due to a colorectal neoplasia who underwent endoscopic tattooing during the period from 2007-2013 and 2016-2017. According to the endoscopic description of the neoplasms, the classification was polypoid lesions, neoplasms occupying < 50% or ≥ 50% of the intestinal lumen and stenosing neoplasias.

RESULTS

Tattooing of the lesion was performed in 120 patients and the same lesions were identified during surgery in 114 (95%) cases. Most of the neoplasias described as polypoids and neoplasias that occupied < 50% of the intestinal lumen were not visualized during surgery and therefore required a tattoo (33 of 42 and 18 of 26 respectively, p = 0.0001, X2). On the other hand, stenosing lesions or neoplasias occupying ≥ 50% of the intestinal lumen were mostly identified during surgery (15 of 15 and 36 of 37 respectively, p = 0.0001, X2) without the need for a tattoo. Overall, the identification of neoplasms according to established criteria was 98%.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that it is possible to establish endoscopic criteria that allow a successful selective tattooing during diagnostic endoscopy.

Prescreening with FOBT Improves Yield and Is Cost-Effective in Colorectal Screening in the Elderly

Background. Utilization of colonoscopy for routine colorectal cancer (CRC) screening in the elderly (patients over 75) is controversial. This study was designed to evaluate if using fecal occult blood test (FOBT) to select patients for colonoscopy can improve yield and be a cost- effective approach for the elderly. Methods. Records of 10,908 subjects who had colonoscopy during the study period were reviewed. 1496 (13.7%) were ≥75 years. In 118 of these subjects, a colonoscopy was performed to evaluate a positive FOBT. Outcomes were compared between +FOBT group (F-Group) and the asymptomatic screening group (AS-Group). The cost-effectiveness was also calculated using a median estimated standardized worldwide colonoscopy and FOBT cost (rounded to closest whole numbers) of 1000 US $ and 10 US $, respectively. Results. 118/1496 (7.9%) colonoscopies were performed for evaluation of +FOBT. 464/1496 (31%) colonoscopies were performed in AS-Group. In F-Group, high risk adenoma detection rate (HR-ADR) was 15.2%, and 11.9% had 1-2 tubular adenomas. In comparison, the control AS-Group had HR-ADR of 19.2% and 17.7% had 1-2 tubular adenomas. In the FOBT+ group, CRC was detected in 5.1% which was significantly higher than the AS-Group in which CRC was detected in 1.7% (P = 0.03). On cost-effectiveness analysis, cost per CRC detected was significantly lower, that is, 19,666 US $ in F-Group in comparison to AS-Group 58,000 US $ (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in other parameters among groups. Conclusion. Prescreening with FOBT to select elderly for colonoscopy seems to improve the yield and can be a cost-effective CRC screening approach in this subset. The benefit in the risk benefit analysis of screening the elderly appears improved by prescreening with an inexpensive tool.

Lower rate of colonoscopic perforation: 110,785 patients of colonoscopy performed by colorectal surgeons in a large teaching hospital in China

BACKGROUND

Colonoscopic perforation (CP) has a low incidence rate. However, with the extensive use of colonoscopy, even low incidence rates should be evaluated to identify and address risks. Information on CP is quite limited in China.

OBJECTIVE

Our study aimed to determine the frequency of CP in colonoscopies performed by surgeons at a large teaching hospital in China over a 12-year period.

METHODS

A retrospective review of medical records was performed for all patients who had CPs from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2012. Iatrogenic perforations were identified mainly by abdominal X-ray or computed tomography scan. Follow-up information of adverse events post-colonoscopy was identified from the colorectal surgery database of our hospital. Patients' demographic data, colonoscopy procedure information, location of perforation, treatment, and outcome were recorded.

RESULTS

A total of 110,785 diagnostic and therapeutic colonoscopy procedures were performed (86,800 diagnostic cases and 23,985 therapeutic cases) within the 12-year study period. A total of 14 incidents (0.012%) of CP were reported (seven males and seven females), of which nine cases occurred during diagnostic colonoscopy (0.01%) and five after therapeutic colonoscopy (three polypectomy cases, one endoscopic mucosal resection, and one endoscopic mucosal dissection). Mean patient age was 67.14 years. One case of CP (7.14%) after colonoscopy polypectomy was treated using curative colonoscopy endoclips. Other patients underwent operations: six cases (46.15%) of primary repair, four cases (28.57%) of resection with anastomosis, and two cases (15.38%) of resection without anastomosis. No obvious perforation was found in one patient (7.69%). Surgeons attempted to treat one case laparoscopically but eventually resorted to open surgery. The postoperative course was uncomplicated in eight cases (57.14%) and complicated in six cases (42.86%) but without mortality.

CONCLUSION

CP is a serious but rare complication of colonoscopy. A perforation risk of 0.012% was found in our study. The optimal management of CP remains controversial. Treatment for CP should be individualized according to the patient's condition, related devices, and surgical skills of endoscopists or surgeons. Selective measures such as colonoscopy without intravenous sedation and decrease of loop formation can effectively reduce rates of perforation.

Clinical outcomes and direct costings of endoluminal clipping compared to surgery in the management of iatrogenic colonic perforation

OBJECTIVE

To compare the outcomes and costs of endoluminal clipping and surgery in the management of iatrogenic colonic perforation.

METHODS

A retrospective, single-center, clinical and economic analysis of outcomes and costings between endoluminal clipping and surgery in consecutive cases of iatrogenic colonic perforations was conducted.

RESULTS

In total, 7136 colonoscopies performed over a 6-year period were complicated by 12 (0.17%) perforations. Seven cases were treated by endoscopic clipping (with a success rate of 71.4%) and five with immediate surgery. Both groups of patients had similar clinical and individual characteristics. Patients who were treated with endoscopic clipping had a shorter period of hospitalization (median 9 vs 13 days) compared to surgery, but this was not statistically significant. Compared to patients who had immediate surgery, the median direct health-care costs for all procedures (US$ 115.10 vs US$ 1479.50, P = 0.012) and investigations (US$ 124.60 vs US$ 512.90, P = 0.048) during inpatient stay were lower for the endoscopic clipping group. There was a trend towards a lower overall inpatient median cost for patients managed with endoscopic clipping compared to surgery (US$ 1481.70 vs US$ 3281.90, P = 0.073).

CONCLUSION

Endoluminal clipping may be more cost-effective than surgery in the management of iatrogenic colonic perforations.