Pitfalls of single-site tattooing of suspicious or significant polyps at colonoscopy in patients undergoing colectomy

Authors

  • Lawrence Ugwumba Department of Surgery, University Hospital of North Durham, Durham, UK
  • Emily Oates Department of Surgery, University Hospital of North Durham, Durham, UK
  • Sophie Noblett Department of Surgery, University Hospital of North Durham, Durham, UK

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51496/jogm.v3.103

Keywords:

Colonic polyps, Colonoscopy, Tattoo

Abstract

This is a case report of a single-site tattooing opposite the index lesion at colonoscopy. At laparoscopic surgery, the tattoo was not visible intraabdominally and on-table flexible sigmoidoscopy revealed that the tattoo was proximal to the scar tissue. Had tattoo been visible, this could have led to adverse effects with the resection point being proximal to or through the lesion. As endoscopic mucosal resection is done in patients lying flat, while surgical procedures are performed in a 30° Trendelenberg, this could have led to relative differences in the position of the tattoo and index lesion. It should become standard practice that all lesions that need tattooing should be done circumferentially distal to the index lesion. When only single-site tattooing is done, if the patient needs surgery, then a preoperative distal tattooing should be done.

References

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Lin C-L, Chen C-P, Chiang F-F, Chen C-C, Chen M-C, Chen C-T, et al. Tattooing or metallic clip placement? A review of the outcome surrounding preoperative localization methods in minimally invasive anterior resection performed at a single center. Surg Laparosc Endosc Percutaneous Tech 2022; 32(1): 101–6. doi: 10.1097/SLE.0000000000001010 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/SLE.0000000000001010

Published

22-09-2023

How to Cite

Ugwumba, L., Oates, E., & Noblett, S. (2023). Pitfalls of single-site tattooing of suspicious or significant polyps at colonoscopy in patients undergoing colectomy. Journal of Global Medicine, 3(1), e103. https://doi.org/10.51496/jogm.v3.103

Issue

Section

Case Reports

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