1268 Ensuring Accurate and Consistent Lesion Tattooing in Colonoscopy: A Quality Improvement Project
Abstract
Surgical localisation of colorectal lesions relies on accurate colonoscopic tattooing. This project aimed to evaluate the baseline adherence to national tattooing standards within our endoscopy unit to quantify both under and over tattooing, assess documentation when tattoos were omitted and identify variation between endoscopists. Improvement targets will inform subsequent interventions.
All colonoscopy reports between March 2021 and January 2025 were reviewed. Lesions were categorised as tattoo indicated or tattoo not indicated based on the JAG, St Mark's and Rex' criteria. Reports were analysed for tattoo placement, anatomical location, documentation of lesion distance from the anal verge, and any recorded reason for omitting tattoos. Individual endoscopist compliance was calculated
A total of 147 lesions were located in areas where tattooing was indicated. Of these, 60.05% were tattooed and 39.45% were not. Compliance varied by location, with higher tattooing rates in the transverse (87.5%) and descending colon (70.6%), and lower rates in the sigmoid colon and lesions >20 cm from the anal verge (both 50%). Among 121 lesions where tattoos were not recommended, 8.26% were tattooed unnecessarily. Endoscopist performance showed wide variability: 12 achieved 100% compliance, while 14 demonstrated <50% compliance.
Baseline results demonstrate suboptimal adherence to tattooing standards, unnecessary tattooing in some cases, and significant practitioner variation. Cycle 1…
Read the paper
Related studies
- Global, regional, and national burden of hepatitis B, 1990–2019: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019
- A meta‐analysis of anal cancer incidence by risk group: Toward a unified anal cancer risk scale
- Global fertility in 204 countries and territories, 1950–2021, with forecasts to 2100: a comprehensive demographic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021
- Exercise interventions in Alzheimer's disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
- Prognostic Significance of Carbonic Anhydrase IX Expression in Cancer Patients: A Meta-Analysis
- Glucocorticoid Resistance: Is It a Requisite for Increased Cytokine Production in Depression? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.