Chan DKH, et al. – Authors performed comparison of quality indicators between consultants and residents with regards to colonoscopy. Given the proper training, residents were able to perform colonoscopy with the same level of competence as consultants. Whilst colonoscopic related complications were often linked to the difficulty of the procedures, they suggested reinforcing and continually educating the adherence to the 6–min withdrawal rule to both residents and consultants.

Methods

• From September 2011 to February 2016, authors performed a review of colonoscopies from a prospectively collected database.
• The groups were compared regarding quality indicators such as caecum intubation rate, adenoma detection rate, adherence to a 6-min withdrawal rule, mean number of polyps detected per colonoscope, and complications.

Results

• In total, 25,749 colonoscopies were performed; 14,168/25,749 (55.0%) were performed by Consultants.
• A better caecum intubation rate was achieved by consultants compared with residents (96.0% vs 94.9%, p < 0.001); consultants were more compliant to the 6-min withdrawal rule (74.7% vs 68.6%, p < 0.001).
• However, findings revealed no statistically significant differences in the adenoma detection rate (33.5% vs 34.5%, p = 0.098).
• Bleeding was a rare complication that was encountered more frequently in colonoscopies performed by consultants than for residents (0.002% vs 0.00008%, p < 0.001).
• Only three (%) perforations in the entire series were observed; all were from colonoscopies performed by Consultants.