Endoscopic procedures

The type of endoscopic resection was described as follows: polypectomy was defined as a lesion completely removed with biopsy forceps, cold snaring or hot snare resection using a diathermy current but without submucosal injection; endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) when a submucosal injection was used before resection using hot snare; advanced endoscopic techniques included endoscopic mucosal resection with cap aspiration (EMR-C), endoscopic submucosal resection using a band ligation device (EMR-L), endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD), and endoscopic full-thickness resection (EFTR) using the full-thickness resection device (FTRD; Ovesco, Tuebingen, Germany).

All types of complications requiring a new procedure or a prolonged/new hospitalization, and their treatment were described, especially the two main procedure-related complications: bleeding related to endoscopy was defined as rectal bleeding requiring transfusion and/or an endoscopic procedure within 14 days after the resection; endoscopic perforation was defined as a transmural wall defect of the rectum diagnosed during the procedure.