Abstract
[Background and aim] Cold snare polypectomy (CSP) is a colorectal polypectomy procedure that does not use high-frequency current, while endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) is the conventional colorectal polypectomy procedure. We reviewed the safety and availability of CSP.
[Methods] A comparative review was performed between the CSP group consisting of 204 consecutive lesions (110 patients : male 78/female 32, mean age : 54.4±6.4 yr) for which CSP was conducted over seven months from August 2014 to March 2015, and the EMR group consisting of 282 lesions (213 patients : male 132/female 81, mean age : 61.4±3.24 yr) for which EMR was conducted over seven months from January to July 2014.
[Results] No significant differences in en-bloc resection rate, complicated procedural accident rate and histopathological diagnosis were found between the two groups. Evaluable stump lesion was found in 86 (42.2%) of the 204 lesions in the CSP group and 232 (82.3%) of the 282 lesions in the EMR group, showing a significantly lower rate in the CSP group, whereas treatment time was significantly shorter in the CSP group (36 seconds vs. 87 seconds, CSP group vs. EMR group).
[Conclusions] Among colorectal polypectomy methods, CSP which required a shorter treatment time than EMR, is expected to reduce labor and costs. It has also been suggested that CSP is a possible important therapy to achieve a clean colon. There are many problems to be reviewed including evaluation of stump lesions. Further accumulation of cases is needed in the future.
