Safety measures for gastrointestinal endoscopy in patients receiving antithrombotic therapy.
OBJECTIVE
Owing to carelessness of endoscopists, invasive procedures, such as biopsy, are sometimes carried out inadvertently in patients receiving antithrombotic therapy. The aim of the present study was to retrospectively evaluate the actual status of such careless mistakes and the efficacy of new safety measures.


METHODS
A questionnaire survey was conducted in 34 endoscopists at Toranomon Hospital about experiences of careless mistakes and experiences of anxiety before and after the procedure. 'Anxiety before procedure' was defined as the experience of discontinuing a given procedure because endoscopists remembered that the patient was receiving antithrombotic therapy, and 'anxiety after procedure' was defined as the experience of feeling anxious about the status of medication after the invasive procedure. A new measure was introduced at Health Management Center in August 2009. In this measure, endoscopists directly interview each patient about the status of medication just before examination, and attach forceps valves of one of two colors depending on the status of medication. A blue forceps valve is attached for patients undergoing antithrombotic therapy, and a conventional black forceps valve is attached for patients not undergoing antithrombotic therapy. Six months after introduction, a questionnaire survey was conducted in 10 endoscopists in this center.


RESULTS
Approximately half of endoscopists (18/34) experienced such careless mistakes. 'Anxiety' had been experienced by approximately 80%. After introduction, there was no report of careless mistakes and frequency of 'anxiety' evaluated by visual analog scale score decreased significantly.


CONCLUSIONS
This new safety measure is expected to facilitate safer gastrointestinal endoscopy in patients receiving antithrombotic therapy.
Department of Gastroenterology Health Management Center, Toranomon Hospital, Tokyo, Japan. dkiku@toranomon.gr.jp
Daisuke
D
Kikuchi
Toshiro
T
Iizuka
Mitsuyo
M
Hashimoto
Shu
S
Hoteya
Satoshi
S
Yamashita
Masanori
M
Nakamura
Akihiro
A
Yamada
Toshihumi
T
Mitani
Ai
A
Fujimoto
Akira
A
Matsui
Yasuji
Y
Arase
Mitsuru
M
Kaise
D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D002983:Clinical Competence; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D061214:Patient Safety; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy