Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection for Epithelial Lesions of Digestive Tract: A Real-Life Experience from a Tertiary Center in Delhi

Background: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is a technique for resecting superficial lesions of digestive tract. First developed for early gastric cancer now its use has expanded to remove lesions from esophagus, duodenum, colon and rectum. We present our experience of ESD done for various lesions from a tertiary center in Delhi.

Methods: All patients undergoing ESD for various gastrointestinal lesions in our center from January 2017 to January 2024 were evaluated retrospectively. Technical success, en block resection, R0 resection, curative resection, and complications were assessed.

Results: A total of 74 lesions from 71 patients were resected (esophagus: 17, stomach: 31, cecum: 01, colon:12, and rectum: 13). ESD was technically successful in 97.29% (72/74). Among the 74 superficial lesions, en bloc and R0 resections rates were 83.78 and 82.43%, respectively. Major complications occurred in 5.4% (4/74) of cases: 2 were perforations and the rest 2 were major bleeds. One patient with perforation required surgical intervention and all other complications were managed endoscopically.

Conclusion: Our study shows that ESD is a feasible technique with low complications and high success in superficial gastrointestinal lesions obviating need of cumbersome surgeries.

Publication History

Article published online:
22 April 2024