The role of second-look endoscopy in endoscopic submucosal dissection for early gastric cancer

Delayed bleeding is a major complication of endoscopic submucosal dissection. Second-look endoscopy is routinely performed in most hospitals to reduce the possibility of delayed bleeding without solid evidence to support this practice. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether second-look endoscopy prevents delayed bleeding, and to verify clinicopathological features of delayed bleeding in order to identify lesions that may benefit from a second-look endoscopy.

We investigated 392 lesions in 388 patients who underwent endoscopic submucosal dissection for early gastric cancer from January 2006 to July 2011. Clinically evident bleeding from mucosal defects 24 hours after endoscopic submucosal dissection was considered delayed bleeding. Data including characteristics of patients, lesions, and procedures were reviewed. Furthermore, the rate of delayed bleeding before and after second-look endoscopy, performed within three days of endoscopic submucosal dissection, was investigated to determine the utility of second-look endoscopy.

Delayed bleeding was evident in 12 of 392 lesions (3,1%), all of which achieved endoscopic hemostasis. The only significant factor predicting delayed bleeding was a resected specimen size of over 40 mm (OR=6,200, 95% CI=1,912 - 20,108). Delayed bleeding occurred more frequently prior to the second-look endoscopy (p=0,022).

In our endoscopic submucosal dissection data about early gastric cancer, it is too early to conclude that second-look endoscopy is not a valuable procedure, and second-look endoscopy may be useful for preventing post-endoscopic submucosal dissection bleeding, especially in resected specimens greater than 40 mm in size.