COLD SNARE EXCISION IS A SAFE METHOD FOR DIMINUTIVE COLORECTAL POLYPS

Cold snare excision (CSE) has proved to be an effective method for the destruction of diminutive polyps of the colon and rectum. We investig ated the correlation between polyp size and bleeding time at the resec ted end after CSE, and also an appropriate measuring method using CSE. Eighty patients with single polyps were examined. Each polyp was iden tified as being 5 mm in diameter or smaller using the open-biopsy forc eps technique (OBFT). The size of the polyp was calculated using our m easuring system (SMS). Of the polyps identified as being 5 mm in diame ter or lass using OBFT, 15% mere 6 mm or more using the SMS. CSE was p erformed for each polyp, and the time taken for the hemostasis (bleedi ng time of the CSE; BTCSE) was determined, In seventy-seven polyps tha t were 6 mm or smaller in SMX, a correlation was noted between SMS and BTCSE. In three polyps that were 7 mm or more by SMS, hemostasis took : 10 min or more after CSE, and required electrocoagulation. These res ults suggest that CSE is a safe method for the removal of polyps deter mined to be 6 mm in diameter or smaller using the SMS. (C) 1997 Tohoku University Medical Press.