Endoscopic Management of Perforations in the Gastrointestinal Tract.

PF It is difficult to say how often perforations occur, as it depends on the type of endoscopic procedure being performed. The most common cause of perforation is iatrogenic, such as when an endoscopist removes a les ion, cuts a little too deep, and causes a perforation. In many cases, the perforations are small and can be closed during the procedure with no adverse events. In an advanced endoscopy unit in which large lesions are removed from the esophagus, stomach, and colon, the perforation rate can be as high as 5%; however, the majority of perforations have no negative outcome on the procedure or the patient.