Endoscopic Polyp Removal (Polypectomy & EMR)
Endoscopic polyp removal takes out polyps — and some early, superficial cancers — from the lining of the digestive tract during a colonoscopy or gastroscopy, without any external cuts. Small growths are removed with a wire snare, while larger flat ones are lifted and removed by endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR). Removing polyps prevents many from ever becoming cancer.
Medically reviewed by the Florence Healthcare medical team · Last reviewed June 2026
Overview
Most colorectal cancers begin as a polyp — a small growth on the lining of the bowel that can slowly turn cancerous over years. Removing polyps when they are found is one of the most effective ways to prevent bowel cancer, and the same techniques can remove certain very early, superficial cancers that have not grown deep into the wall. Polyps can also occur in the stomach and food pipe and are removed in the same way during a gastroscopy.
The removal is done during a standard endoscopy. A small polyp on a stalk is looped with a thin wire snare and detached, usually painlessly. A larger or flat polyp is removed by endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR): fluid is injected beneath it to lift it away from the deeper layers, and it is then taken off in one or more pieces with the snare. Everything removed is sent to the laboratory so a pathologist can confirm the diagnosis and check that the polyp was fully removed. Because it works through the scope, this avoids the larger operation that open surgery would involve.
For international patients, a dedicated coordinator arranges the evaluation and provides a written plan and a transparent, itemized cost estimate before you travel. Our gastroenterologists can review your reports, prior endoscopy findings and imaging remotely first, so we confirm that endoscopic removal is suitable for your case and explain what it involves before you commit to the journey.
Who is a candidate?
- Polyps found in the colon or rectum during screening or a diagnostic colonoscopy
- Polyps found in the stomach or food pipe during a gastroscopy
- Larger or flat polyps suitable for removal by endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR)
- Selected early, superficial cancers that have not grown deep into the wall
- People needing surveillance and clearance of polyps after previous removals
- Those in whom endoscopic removal can avoid a larger open operation
What happens
- 1
Assessment
Your specialist reviews your symptoms, prior endoscopy findings and any imaging to confirm the polyp is suitable for endoscopic removal and to plan whether a snare or EMR is likely to be used.
- 2
Preparation
For the colon you follow the same bowel-cleansing preparation as for a colonoscopy; for the upper tract you fast beforehand. You are told which medicines to pause, especially blood thinners, and sedation is arranged so you are comfortable.
- 3
The procedure
During the colonoscopy or gastroscopy the polyp is removed through the scope — looped and detached with a wire snare, or lifted with injected fluid and taken off by EMR for larger, flat lesions. The site may be sealed or closed with clips to reduce bleeding.
- 4
Recovery & follow-up
You rest as the sedation wears off and go home the same day in most cases, though a larger removal may mean an overnight stay. The polyp is examined in the laboratory, and your team advises when a follow-up endoscopy should be arranged.
Benefits
- Removes polyps before many of them can turn into cancer
- Can cure some very early, superficial cancers without open surgery
- Done during the same colonoscopy or gastroscopy, so diagnosis and treatment are combined
- No external incisions, with a quick recovery and same-day discharge in most cases
- Removed tissue is examined to confirm the diagnosis and that removal was complete
Risks & considerations
- Bleeding from the removal site, which can occur during or up to two weeks afterward
- A small risk of a tear (perforation) of the bowel or gut wall, which is uncommon
- A burn to the deeper wall from the current used to remove larger polyps (post-polypectomy syndrome)
- Incomplete removal of a large polyp, occasionally needing a repeat procedure or surgery
- The usual risks of sedation and, for the colon, of the bowel preparation, which the team helps manage
Conditions this treats
Where it is performed
This procedure is delivered by our Gastroenterology.
Learn more before you decide
Provider-reviewed guides on the related conditions, symptoms and tests in our Health Library.
Endoscopic Polyp Removal (Polypectomy & EMR) — frequently asked questions
Most bowel cancers start as a polyp that changes slowly over years. Taking the polyp out interrupts this process, so removal is one of the most effective ways to prevent bowel cancer. Some very early, superficial cancers can also be cured this way.
Polypectomy usually means looping a small polyp with a wire snare and detaching it. Endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) is used for larger or flat polyps: fluid is injected underneath to lift the polyp away from the deeper layers before it is removed. Both are done through the scope.
The lining of the gut has no pain sensors in the way skin does, so removing a polyp is generally not painful, and you are sedated throughout. Afterward you may have mild bloating or cramps that settle within a day or two.
Yes. Our gastroenterologists can review your earlier endoscopy reports, pathology and imaging remotely, so we can confirm whether the polyp is suitable for endoscopic removal and plan the procedure efficiently within your stay.
Most removals are a day-case procedure, though a larger one may need an overnight stay, and your coordinator confirms the timeline for your case. We provide a transparent, itemized estimate after reviewing your case and do not quote fixed prices online because each plan is individual.
Related treatments
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