The safety of hot biopsy forceps in the removal of small colonic polyps

Nine hundred and seven polyps (mean size 3.7 mm; range 2-8) from 460 patients (mean age 67 years; range 34-94) were removed with monopolar electrocoagulation forceps ('hot biopsy forceps'). Sixty-three percent of the polyps were adenomatous and 36% were hyperplastic. In this series there were 3 cancers and 1 neurofibroma. About 42% of the polyps were in the sigmoid-rectum region; the rest were evenly distributed in the remaining part of the colon. There were no complications. Specifically there were no cases of perforation or massive bleeding after removal of these polyps. Within the guidelines mentioned, hot biopsy removal of small colonic polyps is safe.