A recently approved injectable gel that aids in lifting and differentiating the mucosa from the muscularis propria in endoscopic and surgical resections produces artifacts in histologic sections, potentially confusing pathologists, according to a large case series (Gastrointest Endosc 2020 Jun 25. [Epub ahead of print]).
The artifacts do not generally interfere with the detection of other abnormalities, but pathologists might pursue a different diagnosis if they are not aware that the gel can remain in the specimens, according to Andrea D. Olivas, MD, of the Department of Pathology at the University of Chicago Medical Center.