Colonoscopic polypectomy should be performed on the five to seven hour of clock (standard position). However, outcomes of polypectomy at non-standard positions have not yet been investigated. This study was to compare the clinical outcomes of colonoscopic polypectomy including procedure time, status of resection margin and complications between standard and non-standard position.

Patients who underwent screening colonoscopy were prospectively recruited from Oct 2011 to Feb 2012 at Dongguk University Ilsan Hosptial, Goyang, Korea. Standard position was defined as polyps which were located from 5 to 7 hour of clock on colonoscopic view.

A total of 168 adenomatous polyps of 114 patients were investigated. Mean size of polyp was 7.1±3.2 mm. The most common shape of polyps was sessile in 77 cases (45.8%). Mean overall procedure time per patient was 25.5±12.3 min. 130 adenomatous polyps were resected in standard position (77.4%) and 38 polyps were in non-standard position (22.6%). Overall complete resection rate was 63.7% and immediate bleeding rate was 9.8%. There was no significant difference in overall polypectomy time per polyp (2.9±1.3 min vs. 3.0±1.8 min, P =0.32). Complete resection rates and complication were not statistically different.

There was no difference according to procedure time, status of resection margin and complications between standard position and non-standard position. Colonoscopic polypectomy is thus safe and feasible on any position.