Retroview™ vs. Conventional Colonoscopy: it is Time to Change?

Detailed Summary

Colonoscopy is considered the gold standard for colorectal polyp and cancer detection. However, even meticulous colonoscopy substantial numbers of colorectal polyps may be missed and carcinomas may not be prevented. Previous studies have found a 12-28% of miss rate for all polyps, a 31% for hyperplastic polyps and 6-27% for adenomas, with the higher miss rates noted for smaller polyps. The lesions missing rate depends on several factors as the location on difficult areas to be evaluated with conventional colonoscopes (the proximal side of the ileocecal valve, haustral folds, flexures or rectal valves), a flat shape, a poor bowel preparation and inadequate endoscopy technique, particularly rapid colonoscope withdrawal. Using the commonly available 140º angle of view colonoscope, approximately 13% of the colonic surface is unseen. The incorporation of colonoscopes with a 170-degree wide angled could not improve adenoma detection rate. The introduction of high definition (HD) colonoscopes and visual image enhancement technologies as narrow band imaging (NBI, Olympus America, Center Valley, PA), i-SCAN™ (PENTAX of America, Montvale, NJ) and Fuji Intelligent Chromo-Endoscopy (FICE™, Fujinon Endoscopy, Wayne, NJ) have improved the lesion characterization, but several studies proved no increase in adenoma detection rates. The Third Eye Retroscope (Avantis Medical Systems, Sunnyvale, CA) is a disposable retrograde viewing device advanced via the accessory channel of a standard colonoscope. Allows retrograde views behind colonic folds and flexures simultaneously with the forward view of the colon. Although it was shown an increase in adenoma detection rate by 11%-25%, it has many disadvantages. It requires a separate processor and the device is disposable making the cost bigger. Occupies the working channel of the colonoscope which limits the ability to suction. If a polyp is seen the viewing device has to be removed in order to perform the polypectomy. The optic is not high definition and finally, the endoscopist has to get used to visualizing and processing two simultaneous video streams from the colonoscope and from the retroscope device.

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