Prague, May 19, 2023 – The revolutionary EFTR (Endoscopic Full-Thickness Resection) technology has been introduced into routine practice by the doctors of the Internal Medicine Clinic of the 2nd Faculty of Medicine of the UK and the Motol Faculty of Medicine. The new method makes it possible to perform surgery using an endoscope in the area of the small and large intestine as well as in other parts of the digestive tract. It can be used to remove early tumors, unremovable remnants of polyps or non-advanced lesions up to two and a half centimeters in diameter. The procedure is non-invasive and the length of hospitalization is reduced to 24-48 hours.
"The number of patients with findings in the area of the small and large intestine has been increasing in recent years. In the past, they were sentenced to surgery, even repeatedly. For example, the removal of a polyp often had to be done multiple times because there was a residue that could not be removed in a standard way." says prof. MD Radan Keil, Ph.D., head of the Internal Medicine Clinic of the 2nd Faculty of Medicine of the UK and Motol Faculty of Medicine.
EFTR technology expands the possibilities of endoscopic operations. The pathological formation is removed along with the intestinal wall in its entire width, and at the same time this place is closed with a special clip. The duration of the procedure, including anesthesia, ranges from 60 to 90 minutes, and the EFTR application itself takes a few seconds.
"In the first phase, we find the lesion and mark its surroundings, we introduce an endoscope on which there is a large clip and a kind of transparent cap - EFTR. We then grasp the lesion with forceps, pull it into the cap, sew the walls together using a clip and then cut them. It is revolutionary in that previously we could only go on the surface, this way we can remove the entire part of the intestinal wall," explains Professor Keil.
A significant benefit for the patient is not only the non-invasive approach, i.e. the minimization of scars, but also the shortening of hospitalization time. The procedure itself is performed after previous preparation (bowel cleansing) on the day of admission. If the patient has no problems, he is discharged to home treatment the next day. In the following days, he is then informed about the results of the histological examination of the sample.
"We had a patient here who had a polyp growing into the wall of the appendix. Normally, in this case we would have to proceed with a normal surgical operation, instead we removed the entire appendix with the polyp from the inside using EFTR. We currently perform 20-30 such procedures per year in our clinic and it can be assumed that this number will grow rapidly", adds Professor Keil.
Media Contact:
Pavlína Danková, phone: 724 227 503, e-mail: pavlina.dankova@fnmotol.cz
Full press release: TZ_Doctors at the Faculty Hospital in Motola remove early tumors of the intestine without the need for surgery