The researchers evaluated 62 gastroenterologists who resected 85,657 polyps during 38,307 colonoscopies. Half of the endoscopists had access to a polyp sizing poster above the video screen, and the other half did not.
Here are the key findings:
1. “Our main finding was that hanging a polyp-sizing poster by the TV monitor in the endoscopy suite provided a visual reminder of how to size polyps, and it improved the accuracy of sizing for endoscopists, especially those under the age of 50,” said Aasma Shaukat, MD, a professor of medicine at the Minneapolis-based University of Minnesota.
2. From a previous study using visualizations of polyps, Dr. Shaukat and colleagues found endoscopists frequently undersize polyps.
3. The endoscopists’ accuracy improved significantly when using a polyp-measuring guide.
4. The researchers created 2-feet by 3-feet posters depicting the three most commonly used snares and forceps, along with images of polyps with 3, 5, 10 and 15 mm diameters. The posters can be customized to fit a practice’s instruments as well.
5. With the help of the posters, the distribution of polyp size shifted toward larger categories in the intervention group. When the analysis was adjusted for age and sex, the odds of larger polyp sizing increased by 15 percent; female endoscopists tended to size polyps smaller than men did, and older endoscopists’ measurements didn’t change, the researchers found.
6. Dr. Shaukat said practices often purchase expensive equipment to help improve adenoma detection rates, but the posters are a “low-cost, easy-to-implement, fairly noncontroversial intervention that increased ADRs by a relatively large percentage.”
More articles about GI and endoscopy:
GI leader to know: Dr. Saket Ambasht of Pioneer GI Clinic
Hepatitis C rates up nationwide: 5 CDC insights on the GI disease needing more attention
Gastroenterologist base salary hits $355K as demand grows: 4 key trends from Merritt Hawkins
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