Evaluation of the new giant-biopsy forceps in the diagnosis of mucosal and submucosal gastric lesions.

In order to improve the diagnosis of gastric disorders on the basis of biopsy material, we devised larger biopsy forceps (5 mm X 2.5 mm in inside dimensions) which fit into the newer fibergastroscope, GIF-1T (Olympus). Samples from 116 cases yielded 276 specimens; 179 specimens (64.8%) showed the full-thickness of the mucosa with muscularis mucosae, and approximately one-third of the total specimens included a considerable amount of submucosal tissue, but none of them contained parts of muscularis propria. In 4 out of 36 gastric carcinoma cases there was inconsistency between endoscopic and histological recognition of the proximal border of carcinomatous infiltration. Differentiation between adenoma and IIa, and benign and malignant lymphoma were more feasible with our forceps. No complications apart from minor bleeding were seen.