Usefulness of sodium hyaluronate solution in colorectal endoscopic mucosal resection.

Background: In endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR), it is essential to inject submucosal fluid to prevent complications and ensure safe and complete en bloc resection of tumors. Sodium hyaluronate (SH) solution, which is effective in forming and maintaining a mucosal lift and is innocuous to mucosal tissue, is considered a useful injection solution for endoscopic submucosal dissection, a procedure associated with a high risk of perforation. This study was undertaken to assess the usefulness of this solution in EMR.

Methods: Ninety-four patients with colorectal tumors of ≤20 mm in diameter were enrolled for this study and randomized to a SH solution group (0.2% two-fold diluted MucoUp) or to a normal saline group (control). Ease of EMR was primarily assessed based on ease of submucosal injection, ease of snaring and injection time.

Results: SH solution was superior to normal saline for ease of submucosal injection (57 ± 0.7 vs 50 ± 0.7; P < 0.05), and it showed better results for ease of snaring with less variability (63 ± 0.8 vs 51 ± 1.0; P < 0.05). The mean injection time was similar between the two groups (3.0 ± 9.0 s and 3.0 ± 2.7 s, respectively). Post-procedural hemorrhage occurred in 7% patients (3/46) injected with SH solution and in 6% of patients (3/48) in the control group; there was no significant difference between the groups.

Conclusions: Use of two-fold diluted MucoUp facilitated colorectal EMR.