title: Efficacy, risk factors and complications of endoscopic polypectomy: ten year experience at a single center.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the efficacy and complications of colonoscopic resection of colorectal polypoid lesions.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively reviewed 1354 polypectomies performed on 1038 patients over a ten-year period. One hundred and sixty of these were performed for large polyps, those measuring > or = 20 mm. Size, shape, location, histology, the technique of polypectomy used, complications, drugs assumption and associated intestinal or extra intestinal diseases were analyzed. For statistical analysis, the Pearson chi2 test, NPC test and a Binary Logistic Regression were used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean patient age was 65.9 +/- 12.4 years, with 671 men and 367 women. The mean size of polyps removed was 9.45 +/- 9.56 mm while the size of large polyps was 31.5 +/- 10.8 mm. There were 388 pedunculated and 966 sessile polyps and the most common location was the sigmoid colon (41.3%). The most frequent histology was tubular adenoma (55.9%) while for the large polyps was villous (92/160 -57.5%). Coexistent malignancy was observed in 28 polyps (2.1%) and of these, 20 were large polyps. There were 17 procedural bleeding (1.3%) and one perforation. The statistical analysis showed that cancer is correlated to polyp size (P < 0.0001); sessile shape (P < 0.0001) and bleeding are correlated to cardiac disease (P = 0.034), tubular adenoma (P = 0.016) and polyp size.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The endoscopic resection is a simple and safe procedure for removing colon rectal neoplastic lesions and should be considered the treatment of choice for large colorectal polyps. The polyp size is an important risk factor for malignancy and for bleeding.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Pharmacology, University Hospital G. Martino, Via Consolare Valeria, Messina 98100, Italy.
authors.forename: Pierluigi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Consolo
authors.forename: Carmelo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Luigiano
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Strangio
authors.forename: Maria-Grazia
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Scaffidi
authors.forename: Giuseppa
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Giacobbe
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Di Giuseppe
authors.forename: Agata
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zirilli
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Familiari
mesh_terms: D000236:Adenoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D000368:Aged; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000473:pathology; D003106:Colon / Q000293:injuries; D003111:Colonic Polyps / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D003113:Colonoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D004564:Electrocoagulation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007416:Intestinal Perforation / Q000209:etiology; D007417:Intestinal Polyps / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome