Cap-assisted 5-cm diameter cold snare treatment for phytobezoars: A retrospective study

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Endoscopic procedures
• Digestive system disorders

Background:

• Traditional treatments for phytobezoars, including endoscopic therapy, chemical lysis, and surgery, face challenges with large-diameter cases.
• These conventional methods can be less efficient or carry a higher risk of adverse events for extensive phytobezoars.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility, effectiveness, and safety of the cap-assisted 5-cm diameter cold snare technique for treating huge phytobezoars.
• To introduce a novel endoscopic approach for managing large gastric bezoars.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective study involving 24 patients with huge phytobezoars treated using the cap-assisted 5-cm diameter cold snare technique.
• Evaluation of patient characteristics, bezoar features, procedural details, and post-procedure follow-up via gastroscopy at 1 day and 1 month.

Main Results:

• The cap-assisted 5-cm diameter cold snare technique was successfully applied to 24 patients with huge phytobezoars.
• Median treatment and extraction times were recorded, with all patients achieving satisfactory outcomes.
• No residual phytobezoars or gastrointestinal injuries were observed post-procedure, and no adverse events occurred during the 1-month follow-up.

Conclusions:

• The cap-assisted 5-cm diameter cold snare technique demonstrates safety, feasibility, and effectiveness for treating huge gastric bezoars.
• This endoscopic approach presents a promising new treatment modality for phytobezoar disease.
• Further validation through prospective, multicenter, large-sample clinical trials is recommended to confirm efficacy and generalizability.