Dealing with uncertainty: surveillance colonoscopy after polypectomy.
Post-polypectomy surveillance is often done sooner than guideline recommendations. This practice is driven by physician intolerance of uncertainty. The accompanying article by Brenner et al. supports the recommendation to wait 5 years or longer following adenoma removal before performing surveillance colonoscopy. This is particularly true for patients with 1 or 2 small adenomas. Unnecessarily aggressive post-polypectomy surveillance exposes patients to excessive risk of colonoscopy complications without clinical benefit. It also diverts colonoscopy resources away from the more valuable practice of primary screening.
Levin
Theodore R
TR
D000236:Adenoma / Q000601:surgery; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000601:surgery; D003111:Colonic Polyps / Q000601:surgery*; D003113:Colonoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects; D013997:Time Factors