Delayed Bleeding After Colorectal Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection: When Is Emergency Colonoscopy Needed?

Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is an effective treatment for early-colorectal cancer. Although delayed bleeding is a serious potential complication, there is no consensus on the optimal protocol to determine which cases require emergency colonoscopy.

This study aimed to assess the risk factors for delayed bleeding after ESD and evaluate the "watch and wait" strategy for delayed bleeding. The "watch and wait" strategy was used for delayed bleeding, unless the shock index was ≥ 1 and/or a moderate amount of hematochezia occurred more than five occurrences.

This study included 404 patients who had undergone endoscopic resection for 439 lesions between April 2012 and February 2018. Patients were classified into the bleeding group or the no-bleeding group to investigate the risk factors for delayed bleeding, and to assess the necessity of emergency colonoscopy.

Twenty-seven patients into the bleeding group and 412 into the no-bleeding group were classified. However, no case required emergency colonoscopy for hemostasis under "watch and wait strategy." Multivariate analysis revealed the risk factors for bleeding were rectal lesion (OR 5.547, 95% CI 1.456-21.130; P = 0.012) and lesion size ≥ 40 mm (OR 3.967, 95% CI 1.003-15.696; P = 0.05).

Risk factors for delayed bleeding are rectal lesions and lesion size ≥ 40 mm. This watch and wait strategy resulted in no requirements for emergency colonoscopy or blood transfusion, and no serious conditions caused by delayed bleeding.