Brief Articles
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World J Gastroenterol. Mar 28, 2009; 15(12): 1475-1479
Published online Mar 28, 2009. doi: 10.3748/wjg.15.1475
Carbon dioxide for gut distension during digestive endoscopy: Technique and practice survey
Filip Janssens, Jacques Deviere, Pierre Eisendrath, Jean-Marc Dumonceau
Filip Janssens, Jean-Marc Dumonceau, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Geneva University Hospitals, Micheli-du-Crest street, 24, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland
Jacques Deviere, Pierre Eisendrath, Medical-Surgical Department of Gastroenterology and Hepato-Pancreatology, Erasme Hospital, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
Author contributions: Janssens F and Dumonceau JM designed research; Deviere J, Eisendrath P and Dumonceau JM performed research; Janssens F and Dumonceau JM analyzed data; Janssens F, Dumonceau JM, Deviere J and Eisendrath P wrote the paper.
Correspondence to: Jean-Marc Dumonceau, MD, PhD, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Geneva University Hospital, Micheli-du-Crest street, 24, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland. jmdumonceau@hotmail.com
Telephone: +41-22-3729340
Fax: +41-22-3729366
Received: January 8, 2009
Revised: February 10, 2009
Accepted: February 17, 2009
Published online: March 28, 2009
Abstract

AIM: To assess the adoption of Carbon dioxide (CO2) insufflation by endoscopists from various European countries, and its determinants.

METHODS: A survey was distributed to 580 endoscopists attending a live course on digestive endoscopy.

RESULTS: The response rate was 24.5%. Fewer than half the respondents (66/142, 46.5%) were aware of the fact that room air can be replaced by CO2 for gut distension during endoscopy, and 4.2% of respondents were actually using CO2 as the insufflation agent. Endoscopists aware of the possibility of CO2 insufflation mentioned technical difficulties in implementing the system and the absence of significant advantages of CO2 in comparison with room air as barriers to adoption in daily practice (84% and 49% of answers, respectively; two answers were permitted for this item).

CONCLUSION: Based on this survey, adoption of CO2 insufflation during endoscopy seems to remain relatively exceptional. A majority of endoscopists were not aware of this possibility, while others were not aware of recent technical developments that facilitate CO2 implementation in an endoscopy suite.

Keywords: Colonoscopy; Practice survey; Carbon dioxide; Digestive endoscopy