Some diminutive colorectal polyps can be removed and discarded without pathological examination.

Background And Study Aims: Pathological examination of colorectal polyps is useful if clinical management is affected (i. e. when invasive carcinoma is detected or postpolypectomy surveillance interval is guided).

Impact of cytopathologist expert on diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic lesions in current clinical practice. A series of 106 endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspirations.

Objectives: To evaluate the role of a cytopathologist expert in interpreting difficult pancreatic endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) in terms of impact on diagnostic yield and therapy in current clinical practice.

Methods: Retrospective study of 106 EUS-FNA performed between January 2002 and September 2004. Forty-seven cases of difficult interpretation by the local cytopathologist were mailed to an expert cytopathologist.

Quality assurance and gastrointestinal endoscopy: an audit of 500 colonoscopic procedures.

Unlabelled: The aim of this study was to assess the quality of colonoscopic procedures in our endoscopy unit with the goal of improving performance.

Methods: We prospectively audited 500 consecutive colonoscopic procedures and assessed sixty-two process or outcome indicators for each procedure.

Results: Most of the measured indicators were within standard limits: cecal intubation rate (92%), inadequate bowel preparations (24%), inappropriate procedures (9.

[Two years of mortality and morbidity conferences in a hospital gastrointestinal endoscopy unit].

Unlabelled: Mortality and morbidity conferences (M & MC) are designed to establish a collegial analysis of all complications in order to define their cause, assess avoidability and propose corrective measures aimed at preventing recurrence of the same kind of complications.

Aim: The aim of this study was to report the results of a quality improvement program focused on the complications of gastrointestinal endoscopy in a hospital endoscopy unit.

Methods: From 1/7/1999 to 30/6/2001, the complications of gastrointestinal endoscopic procedures were systematically and prospectively recorded and then retrospectively analysed during monthly M & MC.