Inconsistencies in Colonic Tattooing Practice: Differences in Reported and Actual Practices at a Tertiary Medical Center.

Spaete, Joshua P

Zheng, Jiayin

Chow, Shein-Chung

Burbridge, Rebecca A

Garman, Katherine S

2019-08-01T14:07:28Z

2019-08-01T14:07:28Z

2019-04

2019-08-01T14:07:27Z

OBJECTIVES:Accurate localization of a colonic lesion is crucial to successful resection. Although colonic tattooing is a widely accepted technique to mark lesions for future identification surgery or repeat colonoscopy, no consensus guidelines exist. The objective of this study was to determine whether the current tattooing practice at a tertiary medical center differs from recommendations in the literature and self-reported provider practice. METHODS:The study consisted of an observational retrospective chart review of patients who received colonic tattoos, as well as a provider survey of reported tattooing practices at a tertiary academic medical center. A total of 747 patients older than 18 years of age who underwent colonoscopy with tattoo were included. Forty-four gastroenterologists performing endoscopy were surveyed on tattooing techniques. RESULTS:In the majority of cases, neither the number of tattoos, location of the tattoo nor the distance from the lesion was specified within the report. Following the index procedure, a tattoo was detected in 75% of surgical resections and 73% of endoscopies. At the time of surgery, however, the tattoo and/or the lesion was detected approximately 94% of the time. Twenty-five endoscopists (56.8%) completed the survey. Differences were seen the between the chart review and reported practice. Most providers report placing ≥2 marks (87.2%); however, chart review revealed that only 56.2 % were tattooed with ≥2 marks. CONCLUSIONS:Variation exists between the reported tattooing practice and actual practice. Despite this, most tattoos are identified at the time of surgery or repeat endoscopy. Further research is needed to determine whether a standardized approach to tattooing and reporting could improve localization at repeat endoscopy.

SMJ50692

0038-4348

1541-8243

https://hdl.handle.net/10161/19130

eng

Southern Medical Association

Southern medical journal

10.14423/SMJ.0000000000000964

Science & Technology

Life Sciences & Biomedicine

Medicine, General & Internal

General & Internal Medicine

colon cancer

colonoscopy

colon polyp

colon tattoo

CANCER

MORTALITY

Inconsistencies in Colonic Tattooing Practice: Differences in Reported and Actual Practices at a Tertiary Medical Center.

Journal article

222

227

4

School of Medicine

Duke

Medicine, Gastroenterology

Medicine

Clinical Science Departments

Duke Cancer Institute

Institutes and Centers

Duke Molecular Physiology Institute

Duke Clinical Research Institute

Biostatistics & Bioinformatics

Basic Science Departments

Published

112