Tips for the Endoscopy Suite: Measurement of Polyp Size using the “QTip Ruler”

by Anand Dwivedi, MD and Klaus Klaus Mönkemüller, MD, PhD, FASGE, FJGES

Department of Gastroenterology, Carilion Memorial Hospital, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, Roanoke, USA

PDF - Tips for the Endoscopy Suite: Measurement of Polyp Size using the “QTip Ruler”

An elderly patient underwent colonoscopy for hemoccult positive stools. During colonoscopy a broad-based polypoid lesion was found in the distal transverse colon. After submucosal injection an endoscopic mucosal resection was performed. How do you usually measure the size of the resected lesions? Often, we have a ruler in the “toolbox” of our endoscopy suite. Herein we present a practical measuring device, the “Q tip or cotton tip applicator ruler”. 

These pair of cotton tips have various uses in the endoscopy suite:

1. Remove polyps or tissue from the polyp traps,

2. Remove resected tissue stuck at forceps, which can be done with the cotton tip or also breaking the stick in two and using a “sharp” end to remove the tissue from the biopsy forceps, and

3. Use the ruler printed on the package to measure polyps or other things, such as removed foreign bodies, plastic stents, etc.

No COI by AD or KM with any of the companies/utensils or products mentioned in this article.