Brief Article
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World J Gastrointest Endosc. Jul 16, 2013; 5(7): 346-351
Published online Jul 16, 2013. doi: 10.4253/wjge.v5.i7.346
Ultrathin endoscope flexibility can predict discomfort associated with unsedated transnasal esophagogastroduodenoscopy
Satoshi Ono, Keiko Niimi, Mitsuhiro Fujishiro, Tomoko Nakao, Kazushi Suzuki, Yumiko Ohike, Shinya Kodashima, Nobutake Yamamichi, Tsutomu Yamazaki, Kazuhiko Koike
Satoshi Ono, Tomoko Nakao, Kazushi Suzuki, Yumiko Ohike, Tsutomu Yamazaki, Center for Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, the University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan
Keiko Niimi, Mitsuhiro Fujishiro, Department of Endoscopy and Endoscopic Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, the University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan
Satoshi Ono, Keiko Niimi, Mitsuhiro Fujishiro, Shinya Kodashima, Kazuhiko Koike, Nobutake Yamamichi, Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, the University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan
Author contributions: Ono S, Niimi K and Fujishiro M designed the study, protocol and analyzed the data; Ono S made drafting of the article; Niimi K, Fujishiro M, Nakao T, Suzuki K, Ohike Y and Yamamichi N made critical revision of the article for important intellectual content; Yamazaki T and Koike K made final approval of the article.
Correspondence to: Satoshi Ono, MD, PhD, Center for Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, the University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan. satoshi-tky@umin.ac.jp
Telephone: +81-3-38155411 Fax: +81-3-58008806
Received: March 15, 2013
Revised: April 27, 2013
Accepted: June 18, 2013
Published online: July 16, 2013
Processing time: 132 Days and 24 Hours
Core Tip

Core tip: To evaluate the effects of choice of insertion route and ultrathin endoscope types for unsedated surveillance esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD), this prospective study was conducted including 882 consecutive patients who underwent annual health checkup using six types of ultrathin endoscopes in a single institute. EGD-associated discomfort was assessed using a visual analog scale (VAS) by patients themselves. Statistical analysis of VAS revealed the following two points; Transnasal insertion of ultrathin endoscopy for unsedated EGD can be preferable for younger males rather than elder females. Flexibility of ultrathin endoscopes can be a reliable predictor of reduction in transnasal EGD-associated discomfort rather than thinness of tip.