Colonoscopy quality outcomes unaffected when performed by supervised trainees

The presence of a supervised endoscopy trainee did not worsen colonoscopy quality outcomes, according to data presented at the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons 2015 Annual Meeting.

These findings are “good news for patients who are getting their colonoscopy performed in a teaching center,” David E. Pace, MD, FRCSC, from the department of surgery at Memorial University of Newfoundland in Canada, told Healio Gastroenterology. “Quality outcomes do not appear to be compromised by the presence of a trainee.”

David E. Pace

Aiming to determine whether colonoscopy quality outcomes are impaired when supervised residents are allowed to perform them, Pace and colleagues performed a retrospective cohort study involving all adults who underwent colonoscopy (n = 867; mean age, 59.3 ± 12.44 years; 51.7% women) in a single city from January to June 2012 performed by endoscopists (n = 7) who train residents (n = 3). Endoscopists performed 673 of the procedures and trainees performed 194.

Cecal intubation rate was 90.6% vs. 89.2%, polyp detection was 23.3% vs. 33.5% (P = .004), adenoma detection was 12.8% vs. 22.7% (P = .034), average fentanyl dose was 98.4 mg vs. 94.9 mg, average midazolam dose was 3.59 mg vs. 3.31 mg (P = .002) and endoscopy nurses’ perception of patient discomfort was 28.7% vs. 26.7% between endoscopists and trainees.

The researchers concluded that the presence of a trainee did not appear to have a negative effect on colonoscopy quality outcomes and may improve polyp and adenoma detection rates when the endoscopists’ detection rates are low. – by Adam Leitenberger

Reference:

Pace DE, et al. Abstract S016. Presented at: Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons Annual Meeting; April 15-18, 2015, Nashville, Tenn.

Disclosure: Pace reports no relevant financial disclosures.