EVALUATION OF UNDERWATER ENDOSCOPIC MUCOSAL RESECTION FOR COLORECTAL POLYPS IN AN OUTPATIENT CLINIC IN BRAZIL

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Endoscopic Surgery
• Colorectal Cancer Prevention

Background:

• Underwater endoscopic mucosal resection (UEMR) is a novel technique for large polyp resection introduced in 2012.
• UEMR offers advantages such as eliminating the need for submucosal injection and improving complete polyp capture.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the safety and efficacy of UEMR in a Brazilian center.
• To assess the feasibility of UEMR for large colorectal polyps in a real-world clinical setting.

Main Methods:

• A case series of colorectal polyps larger than 9 mm resected using UEMR from February to December 2020.
• Exclusion criteria included polyps with features of deep submucosal invasion.

Main Results:

• Twenty-four large polyps (mean size 19 mm) were successfully resected from 24 patients.
• En bloc resection was achieved in 66% of cases, with 70.8% of polyps being adenomas.
• No acute complications such as perforation or bleeding occurred.

Conclusions:

• UEMR is a safe and feasible endoscopic procedure for large colorectal polyp resection.
• The technique shows potential as a valuable tool in preventing colorectal cancer.
• Encouraging wider adoption of UEMR beyond specialized centers is recommended.