1% Indigo Carmine for Chromoendoscopy procedures, why you should spray

The risk of colon cancer is significantly greater in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) than in the general population, almost 6 times more likely to occur. Which is due to higher turnover of cells within the epithelium contributing to chronic mucosal inflammation. As a result IBD CRC surveillance should occur more frequently than in the general population, as there is more risk of developing low and high grade dysplasia.

Chromoendoscopy is an accepted modality for detection of colonic lesions, in particular diminutive or flat lesions. 1% Indigo Carmine has been specifically formulated to meet the needs of chromoendoscopy procedures, providing a dark contract and suitable viscosity for spraying. An additional benefit of utilising Indigo Carmine 1% is that induces less DNA damage to epithelial cells than Methylene Blue.

BSG recommendations for IBD chromoendoscopy surveillance can be found here

Surveillance Colonoscopy for Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Why, When, How and What Next?

Authors: Julia L Gauci1, R Alexander Speight2, Laura J Neilson3, Shahida Din1

  1. Edinburgh IBD Unit, Western General Hospital, NHS Lothian, UK
  2. Department of Gastroenterology, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
  3. Department of Gastroenterology, South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust, Southshields, UK

MHRA define 1% Indigo Carmine as a medicine…are you in keeping with the guidelines? 

The MHRA has granted Diagmed Healthcare Limited permission to import Indigo Carmine 10mg/ml 1% solution while there remains no equivalent UK licensed product available.  Prescribers should note that this product is regarded as a medicine in the UK but as a medical device in the country of origin (France), and therefore may not have been manufactured to the same standards as other medicines in the UK.

Product Info: 

For further information on products used in diagnosis and management of bowel cancer cases, view the following pages: Indigo Carmine

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