Post-polypectomy electrocoagulation syndrome: a rare cause of acute abdominal pain

Abstract

While generally safe, the most feared complication of colonoscopy is perforation of the colon, occurring in nearly 1 in 1,000 procedures, and is more common when polypectomy is performed and electrocautery is used. Less commonly known is the post-polypectomy electrocoagulation syndrome, a transmural burn of the colon which mimics the signs and symptoms of perforation as well as the time course, but follows a benign course and can be treated conservatively.

Malrotación intestinal en el adulto diagnosticado posterior a presentación del síndrome pospolipectomía en ciego: reporte de un caso

“…La colonoscopia es el estándar de oro para la detección de cáncer de colon, su prevención se debe a la identificación y resección de pólipos, principalmente en pacientes mayores de 50 años (6) . Es un procedimiento seguro, siendo la perforación del colon la complicación más temida que ocurre en casi 1 de cada 1000 procedimientos, siendo más común posterior a la polipectomía con electrocauterización, menos frecuente el síndrome de electrocoagulación pospolipectomía, que ocurre cuando se presenta una quemadura transmural del colon que imita signos y síntomas de perforación como en el caso descrito, tiene una incidencia que varía del 0,003 hasta 1 en los diferentes estudios (7) . Existen factores de riesgo para su presentación como el tamaño del pólipo >1,5 cm localizados en el colon derecho, debido a la pared más delgada entre 2-3 mm cuando están distendidas con aire, invasión de la válvula ileocecal, pólipos sésiles, antecedente de hipertensión arterial (8,9) .…”

Post-polypectomy syndrome: An infrequent complication

“…On Physical examination, pain is evidenced close to the site of polypectomy, along abdominal guarding and signs of peritoneal irritation in up to 20% of cases. Laboratories reported leukocytosis, and increased C-reactive protein (100% sensitivity) (1,2,4). This complication, can be classified into two large groups, depending on its severity: minor and major.…”

“…It is known that the gold standard for colorectal cancer screening is colonoscopy, which is routinely performed by gastroenterologists, colorectal surgeons and endoscopists at different hospital centers. In the United States alone, approximately 14 million procedures are registered annually (1). Among the different procedures that can be carried out during a colonoscopy is polypectomy, which is performed to analyze and detail one or multiple intra-luminal lesions using histopathology, polypectomy also reduces the incidence of colorectal cancer by 70-80% (2).…”

Rapid assessment of health literacy on admission to the hospital

“…There are three cardiology cases: complete heart block caused by blunt trauma ( 13 ), cardiac lipoma ( 14 ), and a massive atrial mass ( 15 ). There are two GI cases: hereditary angioedema presenting as irritable bowel syndrome ( 16 ) and a colonic burn confused with possible perforation following colonoscopic cauterization ( 17 ). Other case reports include clindamycin hepatotoxicity ( 18 ), difficulty in distinguishing heparin-induced thrombocytopenia from other complications of open heart surgery ( 19 ), and a very important case of nosocomial corneal infection with MRSA in a medical intensive care unit ( 20 ).…”