PROSPECTIVE, RANDOMIZED COMPARISON OF DISPOSABLE AND REUSABLE BIOPSY FORCEPS IN GASTROINTESTINAL ENDOSCOPY

We prospectively compared biopsy specimens obtained with reusable and disposable stainless steel biopsy forceps of varying sizes and configu rations. Six types of forceps were used: (1) jumbo reusable forceps, ( 2) jumbo disposable forceps with a Teflon sheath, (3) regular reusable forceps, (4) regular disposable forceps with a Teflon sheath, (5) reg ular long-jaw disposable forceps, and 6) regular long-jaw disposable f orceps with a Teflon sheath. ''Jumbo'' forceps were those requiring an endoscopic biopsy channel of at least 3.3 mm. ''Regular'' forceps wer e those requiring only a 2.8-mm channel. Two biopsy specimens were obt ained with each of the six forceps from normal-appearing stomach, duod enum, and sigmoid colon (25 sets at each location). Mixed and coded sp ecimens were scored by a single pathologist for volume (height, width, and length) and histologic depth. Reusable and disposable jumbo force ps yielded biopsy specimens of similar volumes (30 +/- 1 mm(3) and 33 +/- 1 mm(3), respectively) and histologic depth (grades of 3.3 +/- 0.1 and 3.5 +/- 0.1, respectively). In comparison, the regular-sized biop sy forceps gave specimens with half the volume of those obtained by th e jumbo forceps (reusable, 13 +/- 1 mm(3); disposable with Teflon shea th, 15 +/- 1 mm(3); long-jaw, 16 +/- 1 mm(2); and long-jaw with Teflon sheath, 17 +/- 1 mm(3)). However, the histologic depths of specimens obtained with the regular disposable forceps were the same as those of specimens obtained with the jumbo forceps. Regular reusable biopsy fo rceps yielded specimens with the smallest overall volume and histologi c depth. We conclude that disposable forceps are equivalent to reusabl e forceps and that the two types can be used interchangeably in gastro intestinal endoscopy. We recommend the use of jumbo forceps whenever p ossible because they provide biopsy specimens that are double the size of those obtained with regular forceps.