Carbon dioxide for gut distension during digestive endoscopy: Technique and practice survey

AIM: To assess the adoption of Carbon dioxide (CO2) insufflation by endoscopists from various European countries, and its determinants. METHODS: A survey was distributed to 580 endoscopists attending a live course on digestive endoscopy. RESULTS: The response rate was 24.5%. Fewer than half the respondents (66/142, 46.5%) were aware of the fact that room air can be replaced by CO2 for gut distension during endoscopy, and 4.2% of respondents were actually using CO2 as the insufflation agent. Endoscopists aware of the possibility Of CO2 insufflation mentioned technical difficulties in implementing the system and the absence of significant advantages of CO2 in comparison with room air as barriers to adoption in daily practice (84% and 49% of answers, respectively; two answers were permitted for this item). CONCLUSION: Based on this survey, adoption of CO2 insufflation during endoscopy seems to remain relatively exceptional. A majority of endoscopists were not aware of this possibility, while others were not aware of recent technical developments that facilitate CO2 implementation in an endoscopy suite. (C) 2009 The WJG Press and Baishideng. All rights reserved.